Future Forward
by Maniacal Drake
Summary: Chapter 5 up, Read, review and Enjoy :)
1. Future Forward: Saviors? We're boned

Disclaimer : We don't own nobody you probably heard of in this fic, so don't bother suing us cuz We're broke. We do, however, own the fan-made characters which we will reveal momentarily, steal these and we will tell Raven you drank her tea.

**Summary:**

5 years have now passed and with the Teen Titans now grown up, it's time to start training some new apprentices. Let's see how the new Titans in training adapt to their new family shall we. (By the way, The main characters for this story aren't the Titans, so there! ;-P)

**Background:**

1)Isaac "I/O" Owens : Age 10

Character Description: The oldest of the apprentices, I/O was blessed with the gift of knowledge and has a genius level IQ despite his young age. I/O stand at an average 10 year old height (4'9") and has brown hair and eyes. He wants to be viewed as a mature adult, yet sometimes has trouble suppressing his childish impulses. Following the deaths of his parents, I/O was adopted by the Teen Titans both due to his incredible intellect and the inability for a normal family to support his advanced schooling.

2)Digi Owens: Age 5

Character Description: The younger sister of I/O,she joined her brother in moving to the Titan's Tower. Standing at about 2'7" and having strawberry blonde hair and big blue eyes, Digi epitomizes the word "cute". Very helpful and sweet, she always wants to "assist" her big brother's experiments, much to I/O's dismay. Despite their differences, I/O is slightly protective of his little sister (in the same way a nuclear warhead is slightly destructive, usually with the same results).

3)Timothy (Sketch) Anderson : Age 9

Character Description: Sketch (as he likes to be called rather than his real name) is the kid brother of Jinx. Stands at 4'2" and has light brown and has green eyes. Much like Jinx, Sketch possesses supernatural talents. Although they aren't as developed yet, they seem to be related to his artwork. Unfortunately, artistic talent doesn't necessarily mean intellectual prosperity, as Sketch's poor grades reflect. Prior to the deaths of Mr. & Mrs. Owens, Sketch and I/O were neighbors and childhood friends despite being two completely different people. Sketch views life as a big game to be enjoyed to the fullest and is a carefree person altogether.

4)Joy: Age 2

Character Description: As the half human/ half Tameranian daughter of Starfire and Nightwing, she's more than a handful to deal with, like any toddler. Compound this with the fact that she can fly and is far stronger than the average two year old and you redefine the phrase "terrible two's". Has red hair, torquise colored eyes, and is sweet enough to cause cavities.

5) Belle :Age 9

Character Description: One of Sketch's classmates, she is a close friend of him and Digi. She stands at around 4' 7", with grey eyes and brown hair that hangs to the middle of her back, often she ties it at the base of her neck. She wears glasses and has a jade pendant necklace. She is the second youngest of five children, and the only girl as well. Because of this she had to learn to assert herself, oftentimes to the point of being pushy. This fact leaves her with few friends aside from Digi and Sketch. She has a more passive side, but there are very few whom she allows to witness it. She usually wears plain, utilitarian clothes and she almost never wears dresses. Academically and physically average, she learns quickly and never backs down from a challenge.

Age List for the Teen Titans and other story important characters (others to be announced later)

Robin : 20 Has adopted the name of Nightwing following the recruitment of a second Robin by Batman

Cyborg: 21 Serves as academic tutor to the youngsters in Titan's Tower

Raven: 20 Loosened up a bit since Joy was born, Who woulda guessed she had a soft spot for kids?

Starfire: 19 Same old Starfire, just seems to have adopted the role of Supermom to the children

Beast Boy: 17 Has mellowed a lot since Terra's revival and re-instatement into the team

Terra: 18 Was released from her stone prison and welcomed back into the team following her rehabilitation (a few years stuck in rock'll give you a heck of a cramp)

Jinx: 20 After discovering that she has a younger brother, she left the life of crime and now works as a nurse, and keeps in close contact with the Titans, especially Cyborg...

Blackfire: 22 Following a near fatal accident, Starfire nursed her back to health and now Blackfire helps around the Tower, as a nanny and occasionally in the field, when her more permanent injuries allow.

Slade: 35 While still an obstacle to the Titans, he seems to have taken more of a back seat to the younger villains. However, he remains as cunning and ruthless as ever, through the production of ever more powerful and versatile androids.

And now, we begin the fanfic....

----Chapter 1**----**

**Future Forward: The more things change, the more fun we have**

Our story starts in the most unassuming of ways, Raven sitting in the dining room, enjoying the peace and quiet of early morning with a good book and a steaming cup of her favorite herbal tea... The serenity of the day so enveloping... The birds singing, the waves crashing upon the shore below the tower, the sounds of life in it's many forms awakening to the day, so peaceful... so calm... so..

**BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

"....Great," Raven thought deflatedly, "the kids are awake"

"GET BACK HERE!" came a shout from the room beyond, "I'm not gonna hurt ya, just maim ya a little!"

"I said I was sorry!" came another voice

"Not as sorry as you're gonna be when I catch ya!!!" retorted the first.

"Just what I needed to start the day," Raven muttered, "another famous I/O and Sketch free for all"

Just then the denim and green blur that was Sketch raced past Raven, "You didn't see me, K?" shouted the pursued little boy as he passed

"WHERE IS HE!?" Shouted I/O as he entered, his normally clean and orderly appearence marred by burn marks and an unimaginable amount of soot and smoke... almost enough to make the blaster he carried seem reasonably sized.

Raven glanced at him above the edge of her book, and with a cock of the eyebrow simply pointed towards the counter, behind which Sketch had taken refuge.

"MISS RAVEN, YOU TRAITOR!!!" shouted Sketch as he came out of his hiding spot and pointed an accusing finger towards Raven, totally unaware he had just given away his safe position. The color drained from his face as he realized his mistake.

"AHA!" declared I/O leveling his weapon and taking aim. "What's the matter, PAL... don't you wanna know what _THIS _button does too?"

"No fighting before breakfast" a cheerful voice said as the blaster was taken from I/O's hands.

"But.. but..." I/O began protesting to the self appointed mother figure "..he just blew up something I spent weeks working on".

"No buts young man, Now go wash up, you have things to do today... And as for you," Starfire said as she turned to Sketch, "Stop breaking I/O's toys"

"THEY AREN"T TOYS!" I/O hollered from down the hall.

"I DON'T HEAR WASHING DOWN THERE!" Starfire yelled back, " Now Sketch, go and tell the others it's time for breakfast".

" Fiiiiiine," Sketch whined as he walked into the hall out of the dining room...

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYY, YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLL, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDDDDSSSSSSSSSSSSS OOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Okay, anything else ya need Starfire?" asked Sketch as he walked back into the room.with a cocky grin

" I could have done that, I meant for you to go tell them," She answered

"Be more specific next time then."

":Congratulations," Raven commented, "You just volunteered to clean the kitchen today."

"Awwww, Man...." Sketch whined.

"Serves ya right," a newly clean I/O retorted, "That'll teach you to mess with other people's stuff."

"He's actually doing it because he was cocky," Raven corrected, "And since you seem to enjoy the idea of him working, you get to help."

"But..."

"Keep it up and you'll also have the lovely duty of cleaning the toilets, and just to warn you, remember that last night was tofu and chili dog night, and you know how that chili just flows through Cyborg" Raven said in a taunting voice while enjoying the sight of a now visibly disgusted I/O.

"Yes Ma'am" I/O muttered dejectedly as he and Sketch took their seats at the table.

"Awwww YEAH! Bacon and eggs over here Star!" exclaimed the ever boisterous Cyborg as he entered the dining room ahead of the others.

Digi, Beastboy, Nightwing and the rest of the Titans crew assembled at the oversized table for a meal which the term "Feeding frenzy" would be too mild, although two of the diners were noticably quiet, the glares they sent each other from across the table spoke volumes to the few who caught them.

"Uh oh, big brother and Sketch are at it again, what got brokeded this time?" asked Digi as she watched both I/O and Sketch glaring at each other over the table as they ate.

"Now now Digi, what have I said about talking about such things during breakfast" Starfire chided while feeding Joy.

"Eh, I'm sure they'll settle things out eventually. Fightings part of being a kid," Terra commented, "I remember when I was a kid, me and the boys in my neighborhood were always fighting."

"You and the boys?" Jinx asked.

"What? You don't think I'd fight the girls do ya? They were always playing with their dollies and crud. Wouldn't have been fair, besides, Big Tony was the only one who could put up a decent fight" she said with a grin.

The rest of the meal went by with relative harmony, as did the first of the two troublemaker's cleaning periods, thanks to the watchful eyes of Blackfire, who was the acting nanny/housekeeper for the team. Which was completed just in time for class...

--Classroom--

--In Titan's Tower--

"Well, class time I/O," Cyborg said cheerfully,"T'day we're gonna be doing some work with ion phase disruptors."

"You mean the new first strike technology the military's been working with?"

"Yeah, that's the stuff"

"Cooooool"

--Cut to the local public school--

"Turn to page 92 and read chapter 7 and answer the study questions by the end of the period," a bored looking teacher commanded.

"Okay," an annoyed Sketch commented under his breath, "this class officially bites."

"Oh, it's not so bad," replied a voice behind him.

"Shut up Belle, I'm not cut out for this history stuff, Give me art class or recess any day"

"You mean classes where you don't gotta think?"

"Yeah, exact... HEY!"

Behind him the girl named Belle snickered, "You're too silly, you know that right?"

"Bah!," Sketch replied, sticking his tongue out at her. "OWW!" he exclaimed as she smacked the bottom of his jaw up, "What'd ya do that for?"

"It's rude to stick your tongue out, that's why," She replied sticking her tongue out at him briefly before erupting into giggles.

Sketch tried to glare at her but couldn't contain himself and he started giggling too.

"Stop playing around and get to work!" the teacher shouted from the front of the room.

"Yes, mine Furher," Sketch commented under his breath, which elicited another round of giggles from Belle.

--Cut to Kindergarden--

"Coloring, coloring, pretty pretty flowers," sang Digi in her little kindergarden class.

(Rather than force you all to endure this senseless display of cuteness further, I think we'll switch scenes...)

--Back at Titan's Tower--

"So if you cross the positive ion supply with the negative ion supply in a controlled environment, the results can be witnessed firsthand," Cyborg lectured.

"Like this?" I/O asked, having completed the attachments a few minutes prior he was just waiting for his mentor to complete his speech. Cyborg had a tendency to get testy if he knew I/O jumped ahead of him.

"Scuse me! Coming through!" came Jinx's frantic voice, followed be an equally agitated Jinx chasing the laughing Joy, who's power of flight was developing quite well according to Starfire and Blackfire.

"Remind me to invent a playpen that'll hold that kid one of these days," Cyborg muttered as he grabbed Joy out of the air and handed her to a winded Jinx, who smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks a lot," Jinx said with a smile as she left the room, tossing a wave to I/O on her way out.

"Duely noted," I/O replied, "But why is your face red?"

" Alrighty..." Cyborg began again when he realized the strange look he was recieving. "As I was saying...."

--Back to Sketch--

"Now This is what I like about school," Sketch sighed standing in front of an easel wearing a smock with more paint on it than the canvas in front of him.

"Ahh, if it isn't my little prodigy," the bubbly teacher remarked coming up behind him, What are we making today?"

"I call it a MegaRoboDinoBot... I'm gonna see if I/O'll make one for me... when he stops being mad about that thing I blew up today... heh"

"How lovely Timmy, I bet you're gonna be a great artist when you grow up," she said with a smile as she walked off to check on the other students.

"Pfft, It's Sketch," He muttered defiantly.

--Let's just see here...--

"One for you... One for you.." Digi chorused as she helped pass out snacks to the other students... Sickeningly cute, ain't it?

--Again with I/O's "class"--

This was his favorite time of the day. a period of a few hours where Cyborg allowed I/O to do as he wished in the scientific sectors of the tower. Today he was doing fairly routine work in the biology department.

"There has got to be a better way to secure my lab," He muttered as he typed away. "Sketch and Digi are always causing so much trouble."

"Let's see, 'Disintigration fields'... Nah, don't wanna hurt Digi... 'Stasis chamber'.... Nah, The Titan's would wanna find them sometime... 'Dimensional vortexes' ...To dangerous, wouldn't wanna open a gate to some monster world or something... I wonder if any of the others would have an idea..."

I/O decided not to disturb Cyborg, who was in the middle of a nap, He would just set him to do other schoolwork.

Feeling a bit hungry, He decided to go by the kitchen for a snack, at least that way if someone decided to stop him and set him back to his studies he would have a decent excuse. Starfire was at the kitchen table bouncing a giggling Joy on her lap, Jinx was sitting across the table chatting with her, occasionally sipping from a coffee cup in frnt of her.

"Well well, What do we have here?" she inquired when she noticed I/O, "I doubt Cyborg let you go this early."

"Study period," He replied, "I was hungry so I came down for a snack"

"There are leftovers in the refrigerator if you like," Starfire recommended, He didn't know why, but that lady took to motherhood like a duck to water, and she insisted on treating all the younger residents of the tower like her own children.

"No thanks Miss Star, I'll just make a sandwich."

"Okay then, Make sure you clean up after you finish."

"Will do Ma'am, by the way, You wouldn't happen to have ay advise on how to stop Sketch and Digi from messing with my experiments would you? I'm trying to figure out a way to keep them from blowing up my stuff..."

"Tie him up and toss him in a closet, that'll solve the whole problem," Jinx recommended playfully.

"NO! You must not do such a thing, it is not right to treat your friends such a way!" Starfire shouted, startling Joy into a fit of crying.

"Relax, relax, I was just kidding Star," Jinx answered as Starfire rocked Joy in an attept to calm the toddler. "Besides, I/O would never do such a thing, would you?"

"Hmm?" I/O replied, "Sorry, I was just thinking..."

"You would never do such a thing as tie the children up. Would. You. I/O." Jinx reiterated as she locked I/O with 'The Look'.

"Oh, Of course of course, I would Neeeeeever even consider it," He replied, hoping he sounded sincere enough to convince the ladies.

"Then all is well!" sang Starfire, once again well entrenched into her typical happy-go-lucky persona.

"Well, guess I'll be going now," I/O said as he gathered up his sandwiches. "see you three later." And with that he headed out the kitchen door to look for more, and hopefullly better advise on how to solve his problem. I/O had barely left the room when behind him the bubbly voice of Starfire was heard, "He wouldn't really do that... would he?" followed by a sigh, presumably from Jinx.

--Sketch and Digi--

This was _His_ favorite time of the day, **RECESS! **This wasn't a large school, so the entire campus had recess at the same time. As always, Sketch, Digi and Belle hung out on the playground together. There was the perfect spot for the three of them to relax, right by the swings which Digi loved more than anything, a fact which would no doubt disturb I/O if he knew. Digi was as always trying vainly to swing above the bar and do a complete flip, Belle had given up on telling her it was impossible months ago, Sketch meanwhile sat under the shade of a nearby tree earning his chosen name, and Belle was up to her elbows in a new book, just the title of which gave Sketch a headache... How could someone read that much anyway? He couldn't remember ever seeing her without some sort of book on her.

"You think big brother's gonna still be mad at you when we get home?" Digi asked Sketch as she slowed down her swinging.

"We can hope not," Sketch replied with a shrug.

"Oh come on. What's the worst he could do?" Belle asked, "I mean, he's only a kid like us, what's he gonna do, run you down on a scooter?"

Sketch meanwhile was in the middle of a daydream... or more accurately daynightmare, in which he was being chased by his MegaRoboDinoBot, carrying a very miffed I/O on it's shoulder... "You'd be surprised," Was the only answer he could muster, despite the peculiar look Belle gave him.

With a shrug Belle turned back to the book on her lap, She enjoyed reading outside despite the way the breeze messed with the pages.

"Hey, Why doesn't your brother ever come to school anyway?" Belle asked looking up from her book, "Is he sick a lot or something?"

Sketch just snorted, "Heck no, He's just some sorta genius-boy, so they gotta teach him at home."

"Yeah!" Digi chorused, "Big brother's real smart!"

"Ooooh," Belle said, "Well, he can't be too smart. I mean, He's friends with Sketch isn't he?" She teased, with a wink at Digi.

"HEY!" Sketch shouted, as Digi nearly fell off her swing giggling.

--I/O--

The meeting with Jinx and Starfire had proved futile. Not that it surprised him too much, But Jinx at least should have had some decent ideas, she used to break into security for crying out loud. It was a pretty nice day out, so I/O decided to eat lunch on the roof, Starfire and Blackfire had a lovely garden up there with plants from all over the galaxy. As he punched the button on the elevator he wondered where everyone was, Nightwing would likely be training right now, maybe with Blackfire, injured or not that girl could fight... Raven obviously would be meditating, the only time she had where she could concentrate enough to do that these days was when the kids were at school... but that left Terra and Beastboy, the rowdiest members of the group, well perhaps aside from Sketch that is... I/O just shrugged, Those two could be anywhere, and it's not likely that they'd have any good ideas anyway.

"YO! Watch it!" a voice yelled as the elevator door opened and a blonde woman dove in grasping wildly for a basketball landing face first at I/O's feet.

"Hello Terra," I/O muttered.

"Out on you! out on you! My ball now!" sang a obviously happy Beastboy, dancing around in the distance.

"So... How much is he losing by this time?" I/O asked as he helped the woman to her feet.

"Oh, he's only six points down now, the score's sixteen to ten," She replied, "He just seems to have forgotten I spotted him that ten!" she finished in a voice both knew would be heard by the small green one as she ran off to continue the game.

"I didn't forget! I just choose not to remember!" Beastboy shouted back, just before ducking a large orange projectile aimed at his head.

"I swear, If I grow up to be like either of those two I'm gonna jump off this tower," I/O muttered under his breath as he pressed the button for the main floor. He wouldn't likely get any good ideas from them, and remaining on the roof wouldn't get him any peace or quiet the way those two were going at it.

"I'll just go finish up with Cyborg, maybe Nightwing'll have some decent ideas when he finishes with his training," I/O sighed.

--Sketch and Digi--

"Gotta get home sometime you know," Belle consoled a foreboding Sketch, "I can do the last rites if ya want them tho."

Sketch did a double take at the grinning girl, "Not funny, not funny at all," he muttered dejectedly.

"Aww, come on. Lighten up, I mean you live with the Teen Titans for crying out loud. I really doubt they'd let someone be murdered in their own home."

"Nope!" Digi agreed, "they won't even let ya get beat up too bad."

"Gee, you two are just making me feel soooo much better, You know that right?" the doomed one replied sarcastically.

"That's what we're here for," Belle said cheerfully, giving Sketch a slap on the back. "Well, this is my street, I'll see y'all tomorrow... well at least you Digi."

"HEY!" Sketch yelled, But the third member of their little party had already jogged down the side street and was well on her way home.

"Um, Digi... You wouldn't happen to know if I/O's made any new... blasters or anything do you?" Sketch asked after a little while.

"Uh uh."

"Okay, so all I gotta look out for is the usual ones, eh? Great," Sketch sighed, "might as well get this over with."

They continued home, Digi playing some childish game of hopscotch over the sidewalk cracks and Sketch having strange imaginings of the grim reaper and a demon playing checkers for his soul.

--Titan's Tower--

"Welcome home! How was your day of school?" Starfire asked cheerily as the two youngsters entered the tower. "There are cookies and juice for you on the table to snack on as you do the work of home."

"Weee!" Digi squealed happily as she dashed off to the kitchen, Starfire always made good cookies. Pudding on the other hand...

"Um... have you seen I/O around?" Sketch asked the adopted matron of the household.

"Hmm, I believe he has gone to speak with Robin, he was quite insistant that he be alowed into the training room to do so."

"Um, Okay, thanks," he replied as he wandered off to the kitchen where Digi was already plowing through her snack. Sketch sat down at the table and pulled out his math homework, at least this way if I/O shot at him he'd have a decent excuse for the teacher if I/O missed and fried it... He hated math.

"So you're telling me there's a way to make a laser dome that doesn't do more than shock a creature larger than a bug but is still strong enough to keep unwanted pests out?" I/O's voice echoed down the hall coming closer.

"Yeah, But it's still in the experimental phases so far, It's being developed by the space administration to secure landing fields against potential threats on unexplored worlds. It uses solid light technology so in theory it could be used to secure almost any area, I'm surprised Cyborg hasn't mentioned it to you, he's been trying to find a way to use it to replace the fragile windows around here, these plastisteel windows just don't take a beating like they used to." Nightwing replied. That made Sketch relax a little, He wouldn't allow anything to happen. He wondered momentarily why Starfire always called Nightwing Robin, but then Starfire did a lot of things that seemd to defy explanation.

"Well, I haven't really asked Cyborg yet, but I'll talk to him about it when I see him next. I gotta figure a way to keep Sketch and Digi out of my laboratory, they cause way too much trouble when they manage to get in there."

'Great' Sketch thought, 'there goes any chance that he might have forgotten.'

"Hehehe, I know what you mean, Beastboy was a lot like that when he was younger too. Except he kept getting into Raven's stuff.

"And he's still alive?"

"Yup, But you shoulda seen some of the beatings he got," Nightwing said with a laugh. "Well, I gotta go. I haven't seen Joy at all today, and you know how she gets if she doesn't get to spend time with 'DaDa'." And with that he walked off to the playroom, carrying Sketch's hopes of a pain free afternoon with him.

"So, I almost didn't expect to see you again today," I/O commented icily as he regarded Sketch from the doorway.

"Um... Hiya... You're not still mad... are ya?" Sketch replied nervously.

"Mad? Nonono, I'm not mad. Am I Digi?"

"Nope! Not mad he's furry... Furri.... Furriouse," Digi stumbled over the word, despite it being a well used phrase from I/O.

"That's right Sis. Now, Why don't you go and play with Joy and Nightwing, They're in the playroom. Sketch and I need to have a grown up talk."

"But you're not growned up yet!" Digi countered defiantly.

"No.. maybe not, But don't you think it's selfish to keep all the cookies and juice down here when Joy might want some too?" I/O countered.

"Ooooh!" Digi cried as she grabbed a plateful of cookies and her cup of juice and shot from the room. At her age sharing was as enjoyable as playing espicially with Joy, who tended to play with food more often than eat it.

"So... do I get the customary five minutes?" Sketch asked nervously.

"Five minutes?" I/O asked confused.

"Yeah, you know to make my will and stuff."

"Number one, You've had the whole schoolday to do that. Number two, I'm not gonna kill you... that would be too easy. I've spent the whole day thinking about how to get even with you... now follow me," Sketch followed obediently as I/O led him outside into the backyard where a grill was set up.

"What's going on?" Sketch asked, even more puzzled than I/O was earlier.

"We're gonna have a cookout, can't you tell?"

"But you're not allowed to grill, only the adults can do that."

"I know."

"That's why I'm here." Sketch jumped at the unexpected voice behind him. He hated when Miss Raven snuck up on him like that.

"Um... H..Hi Miss Raven," Sketch stammered.

"Hello Sketch, Hello again I/O."

"Did you get it?" I/O asked, straight to the point as usual.

"Right here," Raven replied handing over a green binder.

"H.. hey! That's mine!" Sketch shouted.

"Oh really? Well, do you see any charcoal around? We need something to fuel the grill right?" I/O replied tauntingly. as he proceeded to tear out pages and toss them into the grill.

"But...But.. You went into my room!" Sketch wimpered.

"Maybe this'll teach you to stay out of other people's rooms then." I/O stated as he finished dropping pages and reached for a bright red canister beside the grill and thuroughly saturated the papers with the contents.

"You're up Miss Raven," he stated stepping back.

"Very well," and as she said that she struck and dropped a match igniting the papers in a bright flash of orange which reached even through the grating of the grill, upon which the makeshift lunch was perched.

"Well," I/O said, interrupting the silence when he felt it had gone on long enough. "Now that that's done, how about a hot dog?"

He couldn't help but feel a little bad as Sketch ran into the tower, but if this is what had to be done to get the point across, then so be it. "I didn't over do it, did I?" he asked as he looked to Raven.

"He'll be fine, He just needs a little time, besides, that was one of his newer notebooks, it didn't have all that much in it anyway," she replied with a shrug.

"Alright, I hope you're right..."

"Come on, You still have a snack waiting, and you still have a little sister to break your toys if that's what you're gonna miss," She teased while ruffling his hair.

"They aren't toys," I/O muttered under his breath as he followed the woman into the tower.

"Alright, what happened to Sketch? I know you had something to do with this," the voice wasn't entirely unexpected. Blackfire wasn't as naive as her sister, and she tended to take just as much interest in the children's well being.

"He simply got a taste of his own medicine," I/O replied stoicly, turning to face the dark haired Tamaranian. "I spent a lot of time talking this through with Raven since Cyborg let me out of class and she assured me that it wasn't too extreme a recourse."

"So you admit you did something to him?" She asked again, arching an eyebrow.

"I never denied it," I/O replied, turning back to his computer and the diagram he was working on.

"You realize you're gonna have to be punished right?"

"I had anticipated as much, yes. What is it to be?"

"I haven't decided yet, but you'll know once I do. Now come upstairs, dinner's ready." And with that Blackfire floated up the stairs leading from the lab and left I/O to make his own way to the dining room where the others already were seated.

Dinner went as always, that is to say about as organized as a soccer riot. But after being around each other for so long, everyone managed to somehow eat enough, even the picky Beastboy.

"I've decided," Blackfire stated as she walked into I/O's room ater that evening. "As punishment for whatever it is that you did to upset Sketch so much, you have to tutor him."

"What!?" I/O yelped. "But he's incompetent, he's about as smart as a howler monkey!"

"Then I guess you're just going to have to remedy that, aren't you?

"But... But it's impossible!"

"Good, the Titan's have done the impossible often, and as a scientist and a potential Titan in training you should take it as a double challenge." She replied with a smirk.

"But..."

"The punishment is final, unless you'd rather I think up something worse?"

"Nothing could be..."

"Want me to have Cyborg seal your lab off and remove your computer?"

"NO!"

"Then looks like you're stuck, You start tomorrow, You'll be responsible for tutoring him for three hours each on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Math, Science and History, You choose which each day. I expect he'll manage a significant improvement by the end of the year. I trust we understand each other?"

"Yes Ma'am," I/O replied crestfallen.

"Very good. Now tomorrow's Wednesday, so I suggest you put some thought into what you're going to tutor him tomorrow during your free study period. Now, it's bedtime. Sleep tight," and with that she tucked him in and walked out of the room.

"I never believed it before... But I think they weren't kidding when they said Miss Blackfire used to be evil. Because this sure is," I/O muttered as he tried to fall asleep.

----End Chapter 1----

Well, we hope you liked the first chapter. Post a review if ya like, Constructive criticism is always welcome, and as we mentioned: Flamers will be punished in ways that would scare Genghis Khan. We hope to have chapter 2 up soon, so keep an eye out for it if ya liked this one. :-)


	2. Future Forward: Pie! I like Pie! 352 Thi...

James: Sorry for the delay, Writer's block coupled with new work schedules and whatnot. If yer gonna throw stuff, my companion Steve will glady accept any rocks and or pitchforks you have.

Steve (Wearing an outfit remnescient of a baseball umpire): Bring it on ya weenies! Give it yer best shot! I can take it!

James: However if any of you care to throw something like... of Raven's undergarments, feel free to sling them at me : )

Steve: F---in' pervert.

James: You're just mad you didn't think to say it.

Steve: that's okay, we both know who'll get the AMZ treatment when she finds out.

James: ...it'll be worth it...

Disclaimer: We don't own s--t, literally, I mean who would want to? They invented toilets for a reason right? But on subject: Titans are owned by some guy in a big office somewhere and is probably surrounding himself with bikini clad models or something right now... Lucky stiff...

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Chapter 2

The angry buzzing of an alarm clock pervaded his dreams and shocked the young man into full awareness.

"I can't believe I gotta get up this early," I/O grumbled as he got dressed, " I mean, it's not like I have to catch a bus or anything."

I/O shrugged as he finished dressing and started off toward the elevator that would take him from the children's wing to the dining area. The other children joining him as he went.

Digi was still in her nightgown, dragging a stuffed rabbit by the ears and rubbing her eyes with her fist.

Sketch wasn't much better off, he was wearing jeans with ripped out knees and a tee shirt with so many paint stains it was impossible to tell what it's original color was supposed to be.

Joy was in this wing too, But she would be asleep still in Jinx's room. Starfire had wanted the crib to be in her room, but the peculiar hours required by an infant made it all but impossible for her to maintain both her motherly and super heroine duties effectively.

The children piled into the elevator and Sketch punched the button for the kitchen level.

"I hope Miss Star made waffles," Sketch commented as the door slid shut.

I/O just grunted, he'd never been much one for breakfasts anyway.

"I wanna go back sleepy," was all Digi said.

In the dining room, Starfire had a big breakfast all set up: bacon, eggs, oatmeal and toast. Enough to feed a small army, which was pretty much what she was doing anyway. Nightwing, Cyborg, and Raven were already at the table when the children arrived, Blackfire would be in the kitchen with Starfire finishing up the meal and it was no question where Terra and Beastboy were, I/O had heard their snoring from halfway down the hall as they passed the living room, along with the music from the video game they apparently fell asleep playing.

The children took their seats at the table, Raven considerately using a bit of her power to hold back Digi's hair so it wouldn't fall forward into her food. I/O had decided already that he would put off mentioning the little tutoring thing. Hopefully Blackfire forgot... and if not it would at least give him some time to figure out how he was going to endure what would no doubt prove to be three hours of hell on earth.

Breakfast was finished before I/O could puzzle through his dilemma, so he and the others went back up to their rooms to finish preparing for school. Raven joining them to help Digi get ready, since she was still a little too young to get dressed herself. They had actually let her try once, and she came down 'ready for school' in her swimsuit mismatched shoes, a tutu skirt and a rain cap. Needless to say, she had been assisted from that day forward.

Sketch as usual was dressed first, wearing the same jeans, and a black shirt with the phrase 'I used to have an open mind... but my brains kept falling out' emblazoned across the front. I/O emerged wearing black khaki pants and a white lab coat, unbuttoned revealing an equally white shirt underneath. The two boys took the elevator to the base floor, since Digi usually took forever to settle on an outfit.

"So," what happened between you and Blackfire last night?" Sketch asked.

"You don't wanna know, and if you know what's good for you you won't remind her." I/O replied grimly.

"That bad huh?"

I/O nodded.

As the elevator's doors opened the two boys jumped. There leaning against the wall was Blackfire, "You haven't forgotten our little talk, have you?" she asked with an evil little grin.

"No Ma'am," I/O replied, looking at the floor.

"Good, Sketch, in case he hasn't told you. I/O has been assigned to tutor you for three hours each on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting after school today." She explained looking at the boy.

"WHAT!?" Sketch shouted, "You can't do that! It's not fair!"

"Too bad, it's already done, Have a nice day at school." she said with a backhand wave on her way from the room.

"Sucks, don't it?" I/O stated as he started toward his class with Cyborg.

Sketch probably would have commented, but he was still gaping, shocked by the announcement.

"Weee!!" Digi exclaimed as Raven carried her into the room, her spirit form flowing through the ceiling easily. "That was fun Miss Raven!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Raven said, kneeling down and plopping a yellow wide brim hat on her, which perfectly matched the sun dress and sandals she wore. "Now you and Sketch better get outside, the schoolbus'll be here soon."

"Okies!" She squealed as she grabbed the still stunned boy's hand and dragged him outside. Leaving Raven to stare after him questioningly.

-------------------------------

"I think you broke his brain," Raven commented after she had poured herself some tea and taken a seat at the table with Jinx, Starfire, Blackfire, and Joy.

"You mean he had one?" Jinx asked innocently, ignoring the look Raven shot her.

"To be frank, I think this is just what those two need," Blackfire remarked. "Sketch needs to start doing better in school or he'll never go anywhere in life. And as for I/O... well that boy needs to learn to relax."

"I/O reminds me of Robin when he was young," Starfire commented absently, bouncing a squirming Joy on her knee.

"Yeah, and we know the kinds of mistakes he made..." Raven stated.

"But all turned out well in the end!" Starfire protested.

"Only because he had you all as friends," Jinx replied, gesturing for her to calm down. "I/O doesn't have many friends his own age, and I think that needs to change."

"Agreed," Raven remarked as she poured more tea, "I have long been concerned about his well being. Ever since that accident, he seems to have become ever more withdrawn, and I fear it will continue unless something changes."

"Perhaps we should take the children to the park?" Starfire suggested, breaking the silence.

"I'm surprised, That was a pretty good idea 'Little Sister' " Blackfire said, coming up behind her and ruffling her hair. "We'll do that tomorrow, The boys still have their responsibilities today."

There were no objections, and the 'girl talk' continued as it always did.

---------------------------------------

"Errrrrgh! Come on!" Digi complained as she dragged the still unresponsive Sketch toward his class. "You're gonna be late!"

"Umm.. What's going on?" The familiar voice of Belle broke through her complaints.

"Sketch is broked I think. He didn't talk at all on the bus..." she answered.

"Oh," she said as she waved her hand in front of his face. "Sketch? Yo, Earth to Sketch! Call for Timothy on the white courtesy phone! Man... he really is out of it."

"Oh no..." a crestfallen Digi pouted.

"Don't worry, This'll get him." and with that, Belle gave Sketch a 'wet willy'.

"GHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" Sketch screamed. "Dude! That was gross!" He yelled as he rubbed his ear.

"Yaaaay!" Digi cried, happily jumping. "You fixed him"

"That always works when my brothers won't wake up," Belle said matter-of-factly. "But you better get to class now or you'll be late."

"Oh! You're right, Bye bye Belle, Bye bye Sketch." She shouted as she ran down the hall toward her class.

"Cute kid, " Belle commented, "Now c'mon, we're gonna be late ourselves"

Sketch grumbled under his breath but followed obediently.

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The blinking of his communicator brought Nightwing out of his focused training. "What's happening?" he asked through the receiver.

"Just Gizmo," Terra replied. "Me an' B.B.'ll handle it."

"Heh, alright, if it's anything serious just ask. We'll be there ASAP, things've been way too quiet these days."

"Pfft, yeah right. Us need help stopping Jizmo? You guys might wanna go help him so it's a fair fight," Beastboy laughed back.

"Yeah, I know. But you gotta admit, the poor guy tries," Nightwing replied before turning back to his punching bag.

----------------------------------------------------------

"You know, I wonder how this guy keeps getting out of jail. I mean, we've probably locked him up a billion times by now." Beastboy commented as the two flew toward the scene of the crime.

"Eh," Terra shrugged "It's been boring around here lately anyway. So I'm not gonna complain."

"You think we scared all the bad guys out of town?" Beastboy asked as he flexed his (imaginary) muscles.

"Ooooh, My big bad Beastbeau," Terra giggled squeezing his bicep until he yelped. "Awww, I think I killed it"

Beastboy simply glared at her and massaged his arm until they arrived at the electronics store.

The impotent curses of Gizmo were audible from within the store. "Skuzzmunching losers! Whaddaya mean you're out of the X32 components? What kinda stupid barfsniffing store is this! Geeze, this'll teach me to rob a place without checking what it's got."

"Guess this is the place," Terra said with a grin. "You wanna do this the usual way?"

"Eh, Sure why not," Beastboy replied with a shrug before changing into a mouse and jumping onto her shoulder.

Terra, with Beastboy in tow, quickly darted into a side alley before the minuscule miscreant exited the building

Gizmo stormed out of the store, slamming the door as he went, stalking as determinately as his short stature would allow.

"Awww, poor t'ing, did the mean ol' store not have what you wanted?" Terra asked tauntingly.

"What kinda stupid crudcatchin' loser.... oh" Gizmo began as he turned to face the Titan, who had begun what beastboy termed 'the usual'.

Walls of stone erupted around the small man, encasing him in a prison of stone. As Terra walked over to the makeshift room a hole opened in the side large enough for the rodent to slip through, "Your turn BB" she cooed, sealing the hole behind him. The ensuing thuds and screams (not all of which were Gizmo's) gave hint to the degree of the now confined battle. While Terra merely leaned against the wall whistling merrily and receiving peculiar looks from passerby.

-------------------------------------------------------

"I swear, Sketch has got to be the dumbest person this side of Tamaran, I mean Geeze, have you ever looked at these tests?" I/O asked Cyborg.

"Naw, why what's wrong with them?" the metal mentor replied.

"He got a 23 on a true and false exam, the moron got less than half the statistical average. He couldn't have done worse if he'd just gone down the sheet writing 'true' on every line, and don't get me started on the scan-tron sheet tests.

"Whaddaya mean? what'd he mess up there?"

I/O held up a paper covered with black bubbles in the rough shape of a triceratops.

Cyborg's jaw fell, "I see your point"

"Strangely enough, that test was one of his better scoring ones"

"Good luck man," Cyborg said with a chuckle, "You gonna need it to teach that poor boy."

I/O's only response was a groan as he returned to his research.

--------------------------------------------------------

A rhythmic pounding along with muffled yelling had been going for a few minuted when Terra's comunit screeched. "Hellooo" Terra sang as she answered it.

"LEMME OUTTA HERE!" Beastboy wailed, "You can't just leave me here!" This declaration was punctuated by a groan from Gizmo, who presently hung from the changling's hand by his collar.

"Well, of course I'll let you out. I was just waiting for you to tell me. I mean I couldn't just risk letting Gizmo out if he won now could I?"

"Huh!? Waitaminute! You knew I wasn't gonna lose! I could never lose to him!" He exclaimed, throwing the unconscious villain at the wall between Terra and himself.

"Heehee, whatever you say," and with that she returned the walls to their former locations within the earth, ignoring the renewed glare he sent her. "Hmm, Comeon cutie, let's drop Tiny Tim off at prison and head home."

With a sigh, Beastboy picked up the prisoner and climbed aboard Terra's stone ride.

------------------------------------------------------

"Sketch, I'm not sure what's got you so down, but I'm pretty sure there's a better way to get over it than trying to make a noose out of a swing." Belle said, trying to comfort the dejected artist.

"You're wrong, nothing could be worse! Nothing at all!" Sketch shouted at her. He was hanging upside down from the top bar of the swing set, a good six feet above the sandy ground.

"Oh come on, What happened? You get kicked out of art class or something?"

"WHAT!? Ahhhh!"

THUD!

"Oooooh, I am so gonna get you for that... all three of you, just as soon as I can feel my legs again." Sketch threatened from the dent in the ground where he landed.

"Sketch? Sketch, should I get the nurse?" Belle asked, genuinely concerned.

"Is Sketch hurt?" Digi asked from the sandbox where she was playing.

"I think I hit my head..."

"He's fine, nothing to hurt there"

"Shut up Belle!"

"Sketch is okay!" Digi sang cheerfully, "Big Brother's gonna be so happy. He's gotta teach Sketch to be smart" She explained turning to Belle.

"Is that what's got you so upset?" Belle asked Sketch, as she helped him to his feet.

"...yeah." he sighed.

"...Geeze, how bad could it be? Just deal with it you big baby. Who knows, it might actually work. I mean miracles do happen..."

"You're a real inspiration. You know that right?"

"Yup," Belle replied with a grin.

---------------------------------------------

"You scruff munchers won't keep me here! I'll get out and then you'll be sorry!" Gizmo yelled as the officers dropped him into his cell.

"Gizmo? That you little buddy?" a gruff voice behind him asked.

"Who wants ta know?"

"It's me Mammoth," the large feral man replied hopping down from the bunk where he was lounging. "Hey, You just got back from the outside, right? Did..."

"No," Gizmo interrupted him.

"But I didn't even ask yet."

"Look, everyone in this barfstain of a prison knows what you wanna ask and no. I didn't see her."

"Not even a glimpse?" Mammoth asked plaintively.

"No, and I don't really care if I do," Gizmo replied climbing up onto the free bottom bunk.

"Awww," Mammoth sighed.

"Bah, quit yer sniffling. You'll probably see her tomorrow when they let ya out anyway." Gizmo retorted, adding under his breath 'stupid hairball's a waste of good jail space.'

"Hope I do, hehehe," Mammoth laughed as he climbed up onto his cot. "G'night little buddy"

"Rassa frassa Titans" Was the only reply he got.

---------------------------------------------------

They had been at it for almost two hours so far, and still I/O had yet to break through the veritable fortress of ignorance that was Sketch's mind.

"Okay, one more time, eight times eight is?" I/O asked testily.

"Sixty four!" Sketch shouted at him, "I know that one already!"

"So if eight times eight is sixty four then the square root of sixty four is...?" I/O prompted for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Um... thirty two?"

"NO YOU NINNY!" I/O screamed across the table. "How many times do I have to explain this? a number's square root is the number that when multiplied by itself is the first number. See?" He pointed at a diagram on the paper 'ABxB'

"And how many times do I have to tell you? We're doing Math not reading, and I have no idea what a bxb is anyway!" Sketch yelled back tearing the diagram to shreds.

"Um... are you two okay in here?" a concerned Starfire asked. The two were working in the dining room since Blackfire had decided it's be easier to make sure they worked there, but things were going a lot differently than planned. So differently in fact Beastboy had taken wagers on how long it would be before they started taking shots at each other.

"No, he's being stupid! Am not! Are too! Stop it!" the boys yelled in unison.

"Well, that was creepy," Raven commented from the hallway.

"And from her that's saying something," Cyborg managed to say before getting hit in the face with a telekineticly hurled magazine.

During this the boys managed to start rolling around on the ground trying to 'beat some sense' into each other.

"HEY! You two wanna start this all over from hour one?" Blackfire yelled as she picked each child up a foot off the ground and held them there. "No? Well back to work!"

"I don't think this is going to work out so well," Nightwing said as he thumbed through the small wad of money he had just won off Beastboy, "Boys will be boys after all."

"Then what do you recommend, Hmm?" Blackfire asked as she glared at him and hoisted the kids further away from each other. "And if you hit my leg again you little rat, I swear I'll throw you off this tower." she added giving Sketch a shake.

"I say we call it quits for today, Their next study day is Monday, right? So, this weekend we'll put together a curriculum for the studies. I think that'll make it a bit easier on them, and not to mention our ears. those two could put Kitten's yelling to shame." Robin suggested.

"...Fine," Blackfire relented, "But since these two didn't do as they were assigned, No desert for them."

"Aww," the boys chorused before glaring at each other again.

"How do they do that?" Cyborg asked rhetorically.

"Glorious!" Starfire cheered, "Now that that is settled, Everyone out! We need to get dinner started." and they knew enough to move, no one needed a 'gentle' push from a woman who could bench press a panzer.

---------------------------------------------

Author's section (Yeah yeah, the whole story's our section, but you know what I mean.)

James: Since you decided to give us your opinions, we feel it's only polite to reply to them.

Steve: And thanks for the shout outs peeps!

Raven002-

James: We actually have a character in planning who will be closely bound to Raven, we're not entirely certain when they'll be brought in, but we look forward to getting there, we maintain a rough outline of the story, but the chapters tend to get a bit out of hand I think. But we hope to have this character's introduction at least begun within the next few chapters (which hopefully will be a lot quicker to come than this one.)

Steve: Possibly, we wanna try to be original with this fic, yet still keep with some stuff readers can get into easily enough, but James is right when we say we have a Raven-like character in the making. What exactly that character will be however is up in the air, so the only plausible answer is to keep an eye out for when that character will come in I guess?

A Dragons Wings-

James: To be honest, I really like your character concept, it seems well thought out, especially the sound waves aspect. The character seems the kind who would easily integrate into a story in a good number of the typical roles. I won't commit us to using her, but you have my word we will keep her in consideration if we find occasion to use her. Thank you kindly for your input.

Steve: Thanx for the kind words & kudos to you for making an awesome character description. Sounds pretty cool and would be an interesting person to write about. While we do have a set cast of characters right now & are currently trying to concentrate more on them throughtout the fic, we're always open to new ideas that we feel would make the series much more entertaining. So if you got a character that you feel would be pretty good in our series, send us a description & we'll debate on if to use them or not. One warning though... under no circumstances are there to be any (shudder) " Mary Sue" characters, you know,"oh so perfectly in every way" (gag). As members of the Mary Sue Extermination Squad, we feel we must rid fanfic space of these parasitic brain-sucking demons. Other than that, feel free to get any reviews & ideas. Peace!!

James: As an added note, While we may have a set "primary cast" we have no idea how this story will end, so who knows, we may at a number of points have openings for "Pop in and save the day" reoccuring characters. And having ready made characters for use there does give us a bit of leniency to put the other heroes in those hopeless, world's gonna end in three seconds and no one can save it situations Movie writers love so much.

Softie247-

James: Glad ya liked it. I hope we didn't make you wait too long : ) As you know if you read the other comments, we do intend to add more characters, at least one, and perhaps more if the needs arise, But we intend to be careful not to put in so many that we have trouble giving them proper 'air time' so to speak.

Steve: Just like my compadre said, we're trying to be very professional on deciding who or what to add to our story,as well as when and where they'll appear. Anyway, thanx for the kind review, & please accept our humble apologies for taking so long to update. The need for work, money and proper pizza intake has made it quite difficult to create a steady writing schedule. We do, however, hope to have the other chapters up fairly quickly and without making them so long next time. Thanx

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James: Well, We'd like to thank you all for reading. We hope you enjoy it and will try to have our next chapter up quickly, This is James saying Good Fight and Good Night

Steve: You so totally stole that from Celebrity Deathmatch you know

James: Um... Over there! (runs off while Steve is distracted.)

Steve: huh...wha..HEY!!! Git back 'ere ya sneaky SOB ( gets ready to chase James,but stops in mid running motion) Oh yeah, thanx for readin', hope to have more chapters up, & hope to keep everyone entertained, Thanx and peace out ya'll ( pulls out hatchet and now chases his partner in crime around ) GIT BACK HERE YOU THIEF!!!!


	3. Future Forward: Power revealed

Announcer: Welcome back! Last time on Future Forward I/O and Sketch -_Gunshot is heard-_

James: -_Holding a rifle-_ I hate that guy, Now where were we...

Steve: we had a nerd and a moron throw down, a goggle geared gremlin got smacked around, a big hairy guy in jail, and other stuff you probably already know

James: Oh yeah, thanks... -_Makes a mark on his clipboard-_ let's see next is... frigging disclaimer...

Disclaimer: Whaddaya think goes here? We own our guys, some fat cat owns the Titans.

James: There? Happy now? Man I hate lawyers...

Steve: shhhhh.....they can hear you....they are everywhere.....waiting to pounce....

James: Fine then... let's see them hear this: You lawyers are a bunch of blood sucking, sewage eating, book burning, pains in my

-Fades to black-

James: Oh it's on now...

---------------------------------

"So how'd it go last night?" Belle asked when she and Sketch were at lunch.

"Ugh, don't ask" he replied, pushing peas around his plate with his fork.

"Too late, I already did." she countered. "Now tell me!"

"No."

"Fine, then I won't give you back your notebook!" she declared as she grabbed said item and held it over her head.

"Hey! Give it back!" Sketch shouted as he attempted to retrieve his prized possession. His attempts all falling just short due to Belle's greater height.

"Then talk," she ordered bopping him in the head with the notebook and raising it again before he could grab it.

"Grrrrr... fine," the boy growled as he plopped back down into his chair. "He was trying to teach me some allgey bra, alegra, some stupid math stuff."

"You mean Algebra?"

"Yeah that's it, all stupid letters and stuff... like the numbers weren't bad enough. Pfft!"

"Well, I suppose you gotta study again tonight?" Belle asked, patting him on the shoulder.

"Nah, Today we're goin' to the park after school. I don't gotta do any more studying with I/O until Monday night."

"Hey, cool. Maybe I'll come by later and kick your butt in roller hockey while you're there." the young lady laughed.

"Hey! You don't beat me all the time!"

"Yeah, sometimes I slaughter you"

"HEY!"

---------------------------------------------

"Open this door right now young man!" Blackfire screamed as she hammered her fist against I/O's door.

"Not gonna happen!" I/O yelled back from the other side.

"You better darn well open up or I'll blast this door in!" She screamed back.

"Go on and try! These doors were designed to take it, remember?"

"Um... do I even want to ask?" Raven inquired as she entered the hallway, disturbed from her reading by the noise.

"That darn brat locked himself in his room as soon as his classes were over and now he refuses to come out."

"Uh...huh... and why?"

"Doesn't wanna go to the park I think, But I keep telling him, He needs to get out for some fresh air sometimes!" Blackfire finished with a yell toward the door.

"I don't wanna, I got way too much to do here!" was the only reply she got.

"Let me try," Raven said as she walked to the door. "I/O, You need to go with the others, it's only natural for a kid your age, besides, this one time isn't gonna hurt you."

"No thanks, I'm fine right here."

"...I/O, open the door and get out here right now, or else" Raven ordered.

"Sorry, I'm staying right here, besides, what'cha gonna do? Ground me?"

"Fine, you asked for it." Raven declared as her eyes began glowing, "Azerath, Metriun, Zinthos!" she muttered, reaching through the black portal that opened in front of her and pulling an obviously shocked I/O through it.

"Here," she stated, dropping the boy on the floor at Blackfire's feet. "Now try to keep it down, I'm reading." And with that she walked away.

"Um... right... thanks" was all Blackfire could think to say.

And meanwhile, I/O was feeling vaguely like a rabbit in a magic show.

--------------------------------------------------

"Come on," the guard ordered "You're free to go"

"Thanks," the monstrous individual named Mammoth growled, "I'll see you guys later" most people would be terrified of the way he bore his fangs, but the guard had come to recognize his peculiar 'smile'.

"I don't know why we keep letting him out," a passing officer commented.

"I'm more surprised at how we keep letting him in," the guard replied.

"What's that supposed to mean? He's a criminal, he belongs in here." the officer sneered.

"Heh, yeah. Criminal, whatever you say pal."

"What was he in for anyway?"

"Holding up an ice cream truck."

"He robbed an ice cream truck?!" the officer exclaimed obviously shocked "what kinda person does that?"

"He didn't rob it, he held it up, as in picked it up and carried it around."

"Um.. why?"

"Wanted to get arrested, but he carried it over to a schoolyard before he broke it... the kids loved him for it," the guard laughed.

The officer didn't know what to say to that.

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"You guys have fun!" Jinx shouted at the T-van as the others headed off to the park. She and Blackfire had stayed behind to get some well earned rest and relaxation.

"Yeah yeah," Backfire commented as she headed inside, "You wanna order a pizza Jinx? I am so not in the mood to cook."

"Sounds good to me. But a bath sounds better." And with that she disappeared to indulge herself in private.

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The Titans and their charges made their way to the park. Cyborg driving the T-van he built once he realized the T-car wouldn't cut it anymore. In the shotgun seat was Nightwing, Raven and Starfire were in the middle of the car on opposite sides of Joy, and the children were in the rear most seats. Terra and Beastboy were as usual traveling via a huge rock, strangely tailing the van at ground level and following all road rules. Needless to say a few strange looks were passed their way.

"I can't believe I'm here," I/O muttered, "Why are we even going to some park anyway?"

"Because we thought it's be fun, that's why," Cyborg retorted. "Now stop complaining, you might even have fun"

"Doubt it"

"Yeah, he won't have fun, cause he's afraid of air, and sun, and anything that has to do with outside." Sketch insulted.

"Oh yeah! Say that to my face!" I/O shouted back, over Digi's head, whom the adults had wisely placed between the two.

"Both of you settle down," Nightwing ordered.

"Yeah, if you wanna fight, wait 'til we're at the park so it won't damage the car." Cyborg recommended.

"Not helping Cyborg..." Nightwing stated.

The arguments between the two continued most of the way to the park, until their arguing woke Joy from her nap and Starfire gave them 'the look'.

"We'll continue this later," I/O promised Sketch.

The last dozen or so minutes or so of traveling was done in near silence. The park they chose was on the edge of the city, it was a peculiar location, a few acres of land leading from a stretch of beach deeper into a wooded lot as it moved inland. Between the beach area and the woods was a long stretch of field, complete with playgrounds and gaming fields of both grass and blacktop varieties.

"Bayside Gardens?" I/O commented as they drove past a sign into the parking area.

"Ooooh, Sounds pretty," Digi sighed dreamily. "Do they have pretty flowers?"

"Oh yes, Very pretty flowers," Starfire replied as she removed Joy from her car seat.

"I wanna see! I wanna see!" Digi squealed as she hopped out of the van.

"Hehehe. Sure thing kiddo," Nightwing said tousling her hair.

"C'mon y'all, I know the perfect spot," Cyborg declared as he set off toward the field.

"We'll catch up with ya in a bit," Beastboy shouted. He and Terra were loading the various supples onto a wide flat stone Terra called out.

"Oh yippee," I/O muttered, following the others, "what a joyous day. I can hardly contain myself."

"I feel the same!" Starfire almost sang from beside him. "Come, let us go and enjoy this day!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Do you think he'll actually do anything?" Terra wondered aloud.

"Doubtful," Raven replied, "But it can't hurt to try"

"Perhaps we push him too hard?" Starfire remarked absently. "He is quite unique among children his age."

"Maybe, but he should still at least try to get out more." Terra replied.

"Just let the boy be," Cyborg suggested from the grill, "we dragged him here. The rest is up to him."

"Yeah, You're right I guess." Terra conceded "It's not like he could leave without us knowing. We're miles from home." She looked off as the children walked off, Sketch and Digi toward a blacktop, and I/O toward a bench under a tree, he had apparently brought a laptop with him. Terra sighed, that boy just wasn't interested in games and normal playing.

"The rest is up to him, eh?" She muttered. "Fine then, What say we forget about him for now... Who's up for some football?" she finished by grabbing a football from the impromptu stone table she used to bring the supplies.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

"It's a bunny" Digi said proudly, gesturing to the blacktop where she and Sketch were drawing with chalk.

"Not bad," Sketch replied.

"Ooh, pretty," a familiar voice cooed from above them.

"Miss Belle!" Digi squealed jumping up to give her a hug.

"Heya cutie," she said, returning the hug. "What are you two up to?"

"Eh, not much. Just burning some time. We got the gear over there, whenever you're ready." Sketch replied.

"Only three sticks? What about your friend, you know the brainiac?"

"Pfft, He won't play. He doesn't do 'Fun'," Sketch replied. "He's over there, working again probably," he finished by pointing to I/O.

"Oh really? Well we'll just have to see if we can change that, won't we?" Belle said, looking at the solitary figure in the distance. "You two wait here, I'll be back."

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'Such an inconvenience...' I/O thought, 'I have way too much work to do to just go gallivanting around wherever I like.' His keyboard clicked away rapidly as he typed.

"Hey, you that supposedly genius guy Eye-Oh?" someone asked.

"Perhaps, who wants to know?" I/O asked without looking up.

"Are you or are you not?"

"Answer the question, I have too much to do to waste time dealing with redundant inquiries."

"...Yup, you're the guy, just as full of yourself as Sketch said."

"Hmm, So you're one of Sketch's friends?" I/O asked, "Yes, I am I/O. Now go away."

"Not a chance," The girl replied. "I'm here cause we need another player. You're it. Now come on."

I/O finally looked at the girl. She was almost as tall as him. She was dressed in an off-white shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows and a pair of overalls. She had her long brown hair tied back at the nape of her neck and a red baseball cap on backward. The girl also had a pair of wire frame glasses perched on her nose and a necklace with a jade pendant hanging from it. I/O decided she didn't look as dumb as her choice in friends. "Not interested" he said at last.

"What's wrong? Afraid I'll embarrass you?"

"Hardly," I/O replied tartly.

"Ohh, so you can't skate is that it?"

"Look, I can skate just fine, But I have too much to do to just fool around like some kinda kid."

"Um... you are a kid."

"A mere technicality."

"Fine, We'll do this the hard way."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" I/O asked warily.

"Well," Belle leaned in conspiratorially whispering, "it just means... THIS!" And with that she grabbed the laptop and ran off.

"Give that back!" I/O yelled, jumping up and chasing her.

Belle easily outdistanced the less physically inclined boy, and soon reached her destination: a tree with a backpack at it's base. Slipping the computer into the pack and that onto her back she quickly shimmied up the tree. and hung the pack on a branch near it's peak before dropping back down to the ground.

I/O caught up with the girl at the tree, "Give me that back!" he demanded.

"You gonna play?"

"Not on your life."

"Then get it yourself."

To his credit, the boy tried. Without much success.

"You know... I'm pretty sure he hates you now," Sketch remarked as he moved to stand beside Belle.

"Bah, He'll get over it."

"You think he'll play? Or do you think he'll just keep trying to climb that tree?"

By now I/O had managed to fall from the low branches of the tree a few times. and was sitting on the ground rubbing his bruised behind.

"Oh, he'll play. All he needs is a little more of a push," Bell replied. "Digi," she began kneeling before the little girl "You want your brother to play with us right?"

"Yeah!" She replied.

"Then why don't you go ask him," she suggested giving the girl a push toward the boy on the ground.

"You know you're evil, right?" Sketch said as the little girl bounded off.

Belle's only reply was a grin.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"This is stupid," I/O thought, "this girl is more annoying than Sketch. Who does she think she is?" I/O had never been particularly good at climbing trees, and he had fallen four times trying to get his computer back.

He sighed as he got up to try again, when he felt a tug at his sleeve.

"Um... you wanna play with us?" Digi asked.

I/O groaned and laid his forehead against the tree.

"Please big brother?" she pleaded. I/O didn't even have to look to know what was happening... that darn look...

"Fine," He replied. "Just stop looking at me like that." He let himself be dragged toward the blacktop by the now smiling Digi.

As he passed the older girl, he glared at her. "I will get you for this, You...you... miscreant."

"Miscreant?" She gaped, "That's the best you could think up? You really need to get out more."

"Whatever," I/O grumbled "lets just get this over with."

"Boys versus Girls?" Sketch suggested

"Sure," Belle replied helping Digi into her gear. "We're gonna beat'em, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yeah, You need to go get your gear I/O, We didn't grab a set for you." Sketch informed his teammate.

"...fine, whatever." I/O replied as he stalked off.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey there I/O," Nightwing said cheerfully as the boy approached, "Something you need?"

"Roller hockey gear," he replied.

"Oh? What for?"

"To play roller hockey of course." I/O replied, a response which caused the soda to be forcefully ejected from Nightwing's mouth.

Nightwing pointed to the table of gear, and told him what to get.

"Thanks," I/O said as he carried the gear off toward the other children.

"Hey man, What's wrong with you?" Cyborg asked, noticing the blank look on Nightwing's face as he approached the table, tray full of food in hand.

"Tell everyone to be ready, I think the world is about to end." Nightwing replied sullenly.

Noticing the puzzled look on Cyborgs face, Nightwing explained the situation to everyone. Time seemed to stand still as the team contemplated this development... until a loud whoop broke the silence.

"Comeon! We gotta watch this!" Terra shouted, running toward the blacktop, already using her powers to create a set of bleachers for the spectators to sit on.

After a moment, the others joined her. Cyborg picking up the park table and carrying it and the food over with him.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took I/O a few minutes to get used to the skates, but once he did he was actually rather good. The four combatants took their positions, Sketch and Belle in the center, and Digi and I/O near their own goals. Since the adults had opted to watch, the children asked Nightwing to play referee. He now stood near the center children, holding the puck.

As the puck fell the two kids charged. Sketch slapped the puck over toward I/O, just before getting knocked right to the ground.

"Hey! That's not fair!" I/O yelled.

"Sure it is," Belle informed him. "the one rule in roller hockey is 'no harm no foul'" as she and Digi converged on him.

"Oh crud..." I/O gulped as he bolted away. He saw the net in the distance, and headed straight for it. I/O could hear his opponents getting closer, and put everything he had into getting to the goal. Unfortunately... he wasn't particularly skilled at stopping, and thus, slammed right into the net alongside the puck.

"Hah! I did it!" He exclaimed as he tried to extract himself from the net.

"Yeah," Belle said as she, Digi and Sketch caught up to him. "You're the best player on our team."

"Huh?" He asked, puzzled.

"That's our goal you dweeb," Sketch told him, "You made a point for the other team. What kinda stupid genius are you?"

"You realize that's an oxymoron," I/O told him, trying to keep his cool.

"I am not an Ox moron!" Sketch shouted at him.

"Oxymoron you idiot!" I/O yelled back, "Not 'ox moron', altho that would work too. You are dumb as one!"

"Do they do this a lot?" Belle asked Digi.

"Uh huh, Big brother and Sketch always fight."

Nightwing had gone over to the bleachers with the others, he considered the arguing to be natural between children as close as those two, and had no inclination to interfere unless they started throwing punches. At some point a man had come over and begun watching the game. Nightwing didn't think much of it, no one would be insane enough to attack the Titans he figured. Nightwing strolled over to the table and grabbed a handful of chips.

"They're at it again..." He said.

"You know..." Beastboy commented, "those two fight like me and Raven used to."

"Maybe, but at least those two make a good fight," Nightwing replied. "You never stood a chance against Raven."

"No respect," Beastboy muttered. To which Terra just ruffled his hair.

"Nobody move!" came a shout from the children's direction. The strange man had maneuvered to get between the Titans and their young charges. "Now y'all are gonna do 'xactly like I tell ya, otherwise...." he gestured toward the children with the sawed-off shotgun he held.

"Azera..." Raven began to chant when a shot rang out, breaking her concentration.

"uh uh," the man warned "No glowey eyes, and no more warnings neither." the man then began to make his demands.

----------------------------------------------------------------

I/O's point of view:

'Somehow during his and Sketch's 'discussion' this incompetent fool decided to try and do this?' I/O thought bitterly 'I've gotta stop him.'

I/O glanced over at the others, Digi was crying, Belle was trying to comfort her, and Sketch for some screwball reason was furiously flipping through his notebook. 'What he hopes to find there is anyone's guess,' I/O thought glumly. He had hoped the boy might be up to something uncharacteristically useful, but apparently that was not the case.

No matter, I/O had a plan, not much of one... but it was better than nothing.

Moving to position himself between the thug and the girls, the boy reached into his pocket and withdrew a small rectangular contraption. The box was bland, devoid of anything fancy other than two buttons set near the bottom, and a circular hole through the top two-thirds of it. Pressing one of the buttons caused the space within the hole to glow with a silvery-blue light and begin ejecting what looked to be a metal pole.

The box had been a prototype of Cyborg's. It created a dimensional pocket in which a single item could be stored. the plan had originally been to use the pocket as a holding cell for difficult prisoners, but the plan had been abandoned when testing proved that air was unable to circulate, effectively making it a death trap for anyone placed inside, so the device was never duplicated.

The rod itself was one of I/O's own inventions, it was designed specifically to fit into the pocket. A simple push of a button would extend a grip and the rod would become a blaster, Not a powerful one, But I/O had to hope it would be enough... at least enough to stun the thug long enough for the Titans to take him down.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Sketch's Point of view:

"Come on..." Sketch muttered to himself as he flipped through his book. " I know there's a good one in here somewhere..." Sketch regretted anew the loss of his old notebook, He would have been able to find his target almost instantly in that one. Sighing, he continued searching.

"AHA!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet. The sound of tearing paper drew the stares of the few who knew him who weren't already looking at him. It was unheard of for the boy to damage one of his notebooks on purpose.

Ignoring the confused look I/O sent him, Sketch stepped to the front of the group of children.

"You're in for it now!" He taunted.

"What's a brat like you gonna do?" the thug sneered, "Throw your diaper at me?"

Sketch puffed up and just growled at the man. "Fine!" he shouted "Don't say I didn't warn you!" and with that, he threw the paper onto the ground between himself and the criminal.

------------------------------------------------------------------

I/O's point of view:

I/O was completely puzzled, first the dork tears up his book, then he decides to start threatening a guy three times his size and holding a gun. "That's it... he's lost it" I/O grumbled.

"Fine!" Sketch shouted at the man, "Don't say I didn't warn you!" As the paper fell to the ground, I/O got a look at it, a strange drawing of a... well it looked like a lizard wearing armor.

I/O didn't have long to contemplate Sketch's plan, for as soon as the paper settled on the ground, the confusing young artist pointed his palms at the page, his own eyes taking on a peculiar glow, and he shouted "Arise and Obey!"

----------------------------------------------------------------

Sketch's point of view:

He expected the page to glow, like it did when he practiced with his sister. She had started teaching him when she realized the powers growing within him, but always kept their training small. But what he expected was nothing compared to what he got. Light and energy exploded from the page, tossing him, the thug and anyone else unlucky enough to be standing within a good distance to the ground and blinding those even further away.

Sketch struggled to stand up, blinking away the spots in his eyes, and gaped as he witnessed his creation come to life.

A creature stood before him, like a humanoid raptor, clad in armor as red as blood, it's green scales glinting like emeralds in the sunlight.

It looked around cautiously, only it's head and tail moving, and then gazing over it's shoulder, the creature glared at him.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

?'s point of view:

'what is this place?' It wondered, 'Why was I brought here?' The reptilian surveyed it's surroundings. It examined the beings surrounding it.

One, lying on the ground, looked terrified. The Reptilian grinned at him, revealing rows of needle sharp teeth, delighting in the horrified gasp the creature made in response.

The Reptilian looked past the scared one, toward a group of... colorful... individuals. These were not afraid, they were wary, but they had the look of beings willing to defend themselves rather than flee. He could see they had the hearts of warriors. His eyes narrowed, they had not attacked him... perhaps they were not his enemies... He dismissed them from his mind, best not to imagine more problems than he already had. Besides, they seemed as surprised by his presence as he. They wouldn't know why he was here.

He felt a niggling at the back of his mind, and turned his head to the side, looking over his shoulder toward another group behind him. These were smaller than the others. Once had an odd stick pointed at him, another huddles in a third's arms sobbing, he could sense the small one's fear, and he did not relish it. There was no honor in scaring hatchlings, as he knew these to be.

A fourth stood proudly despite his stature, The reptilian knew he could easily have lifted this one in a single of his clawed hands... but something... a strange feeling... told him that this hatchling is the reason for his presence... that this one called him... that this one is who he should obey... 'I am a soldier,' the creature thought, 'I know why I am here now'

After a few long seconds, the soldier spoke the words he knew he should say.

"Command me."

The coward on the ground ran.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thug's Point of view:

'Damn! Damn damn damn!' the criminal swore to himself as he felt the piercing gaze of the lizard man. He had lost his grip on the gun in the blast, and now it rested on the ground between him and that... that thing.

'Where in the hell did that thing come from?' the man asked himself. the creature's grin, more fearsome than it's stare made the man's breath catch in his throat.

'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die...' the mantra reverberated through the man's mind. Just as he thought the creature was about to strike it looked elsewhere.

It seemed to look everywhere, until it's stare settled on... oh god... the one who called it. The creature seemed puzzled for a second. Then it uttered a phrase that finally sent the man over the edge.

"Command me," the creature rasped, it's lisping voice echoing in the terrified man's ears.

The man, scared beyond reason, bolted. He didn't know where to go, just that it had to be safer than here.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sketch's point of view:

"Command me," the creature demanded, Just before the man, who had been so cocky moments before, ran.

A grin invaded Sketch's face as the gravity of the situation sank in.

"Fetch." he ordered.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Reptilian's point of view:

"Fetch," the youngling ordered. The word was alien to him, but the meaning somehow made itself known: "retrieve".

The Reptilian was eager to do so, if a little disappointed that he was only to capture the being. But then the chase was usually the most fun part of the hunt.

The coward had taken to the forest, it was obvious that he was unaccustomed to these surroundings, as he seemed unable to avoid the whipping branches, nor the roots of the trees that often tripped him. The Reptilian, far more familiar with the obstacles of a forest, had no trouble shadowing the creature. And altho an interesting diversion he quickly bored of this particular chase. The Reptilian chose to end the hunt after the being stumbled and fell yet again.

Stalking up behind the creature, the reptilian grabbed him by the arm, spun around and roared in his face.

As expected, the creature promptly fainted. which made the return trip to the commander quite a bit more convenient.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Titans stared after the creature for a moment.

"What. The. HECK WAS THAT THING!?" Beastboy shouted.

"Um... well... it was my drawing... sorta..." Sketch stammered.

"How long have you been able to do that?" I/O asked, looking sidelong at him as he stowed his weapon.

"A little less than a year," Sketch explained, "Jinx has been helping me learn to do it."

"And you never told me you could do something freaky like that!?" Belle exclaimed.

"Um... You never asked?" Sketch replied sheepishly.

"That thing won't... hurt him will it?" Nightwing asked.

"No, no. It'll only do what I ask it to."

"And what exactly did you ask it to do?"

"He'll go catch him and bring him back here." Sketch replied. "See? Here it comes now."

In the distance the creature was making his way back to them across the field, the strange man slung across his shoulder.

The Titans were watching the creature stalk toward them. When a tearing sound was heard, and the creature vanished in a flash of light, dropping the crook on the ground with a loud thump.

"What has happened?" Starfire exclaimed looking to Sketch for an answer, but the boy was lying on the ground unconscious.

Raven bent down to examine him. "He's exhausted his mystic energy, he'll be fine with some rest. I suggest we go back to the tower now..."

"Right," Nightwing agreed, nodding curtly. "BB, You take that guy to jail and meet us back at the tower."

"Aye aye Boss," Beastboy replied, snapping a salute. before running off and changing forms into a pterasaur and flying off with the crook in tow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What happened!?" Jinx asked franticly when she saw the Titans enter the tower, with Nightwing carrying Sketch.

"I think we need to talk," He said grimly, "Sketch'll be fine, but apparently we need to start working with him, and you, to advance his training."

"So... you know?" Jinx asked.

"Heck yeah we know!" Terra exclaimed "It was awesome!"

"It was impressive." Nightwing admitted. "But I still say we should start training him more regularly."

"Alright," Jinx conceded.

"Okay. Jinx, You and Raven should manage this." Nightwing said, turning to the woman. "Tell me if you need anything."

"...right." She replied.

The look I/O sent at the unconscious boy went unnoticed by almost everyone.

"What's the matter?" Belle asked as she moved to stand by him. "Jealous?"

"Of him?" I/O replied tartly "Not a chance."

"Hmm," Belle pondered as she watched the boy storm off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Section

Raven002-

James: No insult taken. In fact I take it as quite a compliment. (Assuming you mean what I think you do by Technics) I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with most terms used in literary analysis, mostly because i read and write for the enjoyment of it. But it's interesting to hear of and learn new words, never know when they'll come in handy. And rest assured, we have no plans to end the story soon.

Stephen: We're really glad you like the story, and it's really interesting to know that people are reading our story from an analytical point of view. We've got so many ideas for this series & it would be a total crime not to use 'em, so expect this fanfic to keep on going forward and hopefully farther than even we expected.

A Dragons Wings-

James: Happy Birthday! And thanks, We do try to get the chapters up quicker, but we never seem to be able to. I suppose it would be better if we put together some sorta schedule, but that would require more organization than either of us are capable of, heh. We're glad you like the stories, we do try and make them as enjoyable as we can. I enjoyed your story also, and look forward to your updating it. (By the way... what's KOLA mean?)

Stephen: Happy belated Birthday and thanx for sticking with us while we try to get this story up & done. Thanx for the kind words & we're trying to make the story as funny as possible. I'm still in the midst of recovering from a weekend long soda binge, so it's nice to meet someone who enjoys getting hyper. But what exactly is a KOLA...is it like a koala,cuz if so, ...I'M A BADGER!!!!!!

Softie247-

James: Hmm... well, it's true we don't get many reviews. But I figure Quality over quantity, so I'm not to concerned. To answer your question: It took us about a month fr our first update, maybe a little more.

Steve: Good to know you like one of our characters, & as for the lack of reviews, all we can do is wait & see what comes up as we get the story farther going. Next time we hope the story gets along quicker next chapter.Thanx for waiting as we update though &we're hoping to keep the story more entertaining and funny.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve: Well, chapter three's finally up & done, now it's time to get started on chapter four, and along with that we're gonna have a few changes made. 1) We're introducing the new character we spoke of. 2) We expect we may have to up the rating a little, due to our plans for this character (no major issue I think, just better to appease the moderators) and well......that's about it.

James: Gaah! It's getting loose! It broke the cage!

Electrical noises are heard as they try to subdue... something

James: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH! It's got my leg! HELP ME YOU FOOL!!

Steve: OH S--T!!!! WHERE'S THE TRANQ GUN!!!! SOMEONE CALL THE TEEN TITANS!!!!

James: NO! They can't know yet! It's gotta be a surprise!

Steve: Well then what ...do...we...hey..HEY! DON'T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT!!!! ...uhhhh...NIce new character.. you don't wanna hurt the auth...AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

the sounds of a vicious mauling can be heard, along with much biting and clothes ripping

James: Um... We'll get this under control... and be back soon... I hope... Oh dear god... WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO HIM!?

Steve: Until then..he hope duck we hope to get chapter 4 smack up & running and choke choke choke so we can finally get things forward...ASSUMING WE'RE STILL ALIVE!!!! OH DEAR GOD !!!! IT'S GIVING ME A WEDGIE!!!


	4. Down at an English fair, One evening I w...

James- Sorry we took so long, our Bloody Muse wasn't cooperating with us very well _(gestures to an ethereal looking being tied to a chair, coincidentally there are two more people in chairs)_ Don't mind them, that's the Narrator and his attorney, they wanted to play.

Attorney- MMMPH MMMMMMMPH!

Steve- _(wearing an executioner's hood and sharpening an axe)_ That's what they aaaaaallllll say.

James- Well, anyway, we finally got things going right, so we got the chapter up and running albeit waaay behind schedule.

Steve- So without further ado, Here's the story. _(Knock at the door)_

James (answers the door) What's this? Narrator's union? Lawsuit? Hmm, of course come on in here, we'll discuss it. Steve get that axe ready. And some towels, this guy looks like a gusher.

-

I/O groaned, he had barely slept at al the night before. After seeing Sketch's power, he had realized the impotence of his weapon, and that disturbed him. He had awaken sometime in the night from a restless sleep and began working.

He'd spent the first few hours designing a newer, more adaptable weapon system, and was presently in the process of building the motherboard which would control it. He'd been working hard at the console, connecting the circuitry within an airtight chamber designed to prevent contaminants. He'd been staring through the stereo microscope soldering connections remotely, for who knew how many hours now. The device he was creating was designed to be capable of many various actions, but before he could program it to do anything at all, he would have to finish creating the hardware.

He looked at his watch, 7:34 am... He had been working since before midnight. It was exhausting work, but if it did what it was designed to, well worth the effort, once it was finished that is. He had had to disassemble some of his other inventions to get the parts he needed, He always kept his old creations. There was a hall dedicated to them in his lab, and both digital and hardcopy blueprints were stored there as well, so he could always recreate one if he needed to. He regretted the loss of his treasured achievements, but this project was too important to leave for later. He knew the Titans would expect him for breakfast at eight, even though it was Sunday, no one, with the exception of Terra and Beastboy, slept in.

He stepped away from the console, deciding that he would be wise to clean up before breakfast, inventing was a rather messy business.

-

Breakfast was already set when he arrived in the dining room. It was the typical huge Sunday breakfast; there was everything from Waffles to Zorka berries.

I/O arrived to see most of the others already there. As expected Beastboy and Terra were absent, as was Jinx although that wasn't entirely unexpected either, she worked third shift at the hospital, but occasionally stayed late if she was needed. More conspicuously, Sketch and Raven were absent.

"Where's Sketch" He asked, taking his seat.

"He's still recovering" Nightwing replied. "That trick he did yesterday took a lot out of him."

"I see..." I/O said"He will be okay, won't he" he asked, genuinely concerned.

"He will be well" Starfire answered "Raven has assured us that he will be returned to his old self before we know it."

"That's good" I/O stated, honestly relieved.

The rest of the meal was finished without incident. I/O left the table, and tired from his nocturnal activities and the large meal, went to take a nap.

-

"Hey Mom" Belle shouted"I'm goin' to a friend's house. That okay"

"Alright Hun" she shouted back from another room"Be back by dinner, okay"

"Sure thing" Belle replied as she left. After what happened yesterday, Belle had been brought home by Cyborg, Her parents had been freaking out pretty bad until he explained the situation. He assured her that she had never been in any real danger. Although Belle suspected that Cyborg had misled them, she didn't really want to correct him. She didn't want her parents overact like she knew they would they were nice, but had no concept of adventure... but then it was rare for adults to.

She made her way to the bus stop and caught the one that would take her to the park. During the commotion at the park, she had forgotten the backpack she had hidden in the tree. She had to get it back and return the laptop she 'borrowed' from that I/O kid. She was relieved to find that the pack, along with its contents, was undisturbed. Slipping one of the backpack loops over her shoulder, she returned to the bus stop and awaited the one that would get her close to Titan's Tower. Starfire had told her she was welcome to visit whenever she liked; Belle wondered if she would be expected to visit so soon.

She also wondered about Sketch... She hoped he would be alright... That little twerp better be alright. She still had to kick his butt for keeping a secret like that from her for so long. She wasn't too worried tho, The woman in black had told everyone that he would be fine, and she seemed to know what she was talking about.

'He'll be fine,' she thought to herself 'until I get my hands on him.'

By this time the bus had arrived at her stop. She got off and walked the last couple blocks, until she reached the bridge that would take her across the bay to the Titan's island home. She crossed the bridge slowly, this was only the second time she had visited the tower, and the first time she was doing so alone. The tower loomed in front of her, the afternoon sun casting it's shadow onto the bridge, making the tower even more intimidating, if that was possible. She reached the door, and swallowed, trying to relieve the unexpected anxiety welling up inside her. She shook her head, dispelling most of the unease, berated herself silently, and rang the doorbell.

-

After his nap, I/O had returned to his work. He was finished with the processing unit. The design, less versatile than he would have liked, was capable of supporting four programmed modules. He had decided to put his Laptop CPU as one of these, and a solid light projector for a second. This combination would allow the device to create an interactive keyboard and display screen by manipulating laser fields. This was an important aspect because it would allow I/O to make the device smaller than even the most advanced laptops commercially available. The technology wasn't new, scientists had studied the data confiscated from Dr. Light and others and had begun innovating these advances into popular devices. Devices such as the new programs used by the police and military as training exercises, they had large buildings designed that were practically saturated with laser emitters. They could program any layout they chose, even multiple floors, the laser fields generated could hold a great deal of weight if the lasers were properly designed.

I/O had begun to design the casing for the device after finishing the processor. He had made a cast of his forearm and planned to use it as the base for the shell. His design wasn't easy... but he knew he could manage. He had done some research on metalworking and had decided to use Titanium laced with Graphite Nanotubes for the outer shell. This would make the device lightweight and nearly indestructible. I/O had programmed the machines he usually used to make custom casings for the complicated task. This method was faster and easier than the alternative of doing it manually, and left him free to design the operating systems.

I/O moved to his work desk with the processor, as well as his tool kit. All he needed to do was install the CPU and he could get to work on creating the laser array. He set the items on the desk and opened the drawer where he stored his laptop. It was then that he remembered that it had been taken by the girl.

He grumbled to himself as he removed his lab coat and tossed it onto a chair. He would have to get one of the adults to take him to the park and retrieve the valuable item.

-

"Um... are you sure this is okay" Belle asked Digi. She had been admitted with no trouble at all, in fact the blonde woman who answered the door had practically dragged her in when she asked to see I/O. She kept shouting something about never thinking he had a chance.

"Sure" Digi assured her"I go in all the time". She moved a chair in front of the access panel for the lab. and climbed onto it.

"You know the code"

"Sorta" Digi looked carefully at the panel, and then began slamming her fist into it. It opened shortly revealing a fuming I/O.

"Digi, how many times do I have to tell you not to do that"

"I dunno."

"...right. What do you want anyway"

"Miss Belle wants to talk to you." she replied gesturing to her.

I/O glared at the girl. "What do you want" he asked testily.

"I... Well I brought this back for you." She answered offering him the laptop.

"...thanks." he said as he took it and turned back into the lab, intending to allow the door to slide shut.

Digi however was too quick and hopped into the doorway before it did"I wanna show her your toys" She demanded.

"Number one, they aren't toys. Number two, they can be dangerous."

"Number four, I still wanna"

"Three comes after four, but any case; you remember what happened last time you messed around in my lab right? They had to completely remodel the lower level of the tower."

"Yeah, But Mr. Cyborg said we needed the new basement anyway..."

"It really isn't necessary" Belle began.

"We're comin' in anyway" Digi announced, pushing Belle through the doorway and past I/O.

"Fine, Whatever. Just don't. Touch. ANYTHING" I/O shouted after them pinning a threatening look at Digi's back, who didn't notice in the least.

"Come on! There's some cool toys here" Digi exclaimed as the two girls moved deeper into the lab.

I/O went back to his worktable and presses an intercom button"Cyborg, This is I/O. We have a code 2883"

Through the static, he heard Cyborg's reply "Digi's in the lab again"

"Yeah, and that other one from yesterday"

"Aight, try and keep things under control for the time being."

"Yeah... and then I could flap my arms and fly to the store, want something while I'm there"

Cyborg's laughter rang through the link before it cut off.

I/O locked down his present invention, he couldn't afford to have it damaged at this phase in development, and went off to find the others before they caused too much trouble.

-

"You are certain this is the genuine article" The tall thin figure asked the man with him, an old withered man, wearing a cloak that bulged oddly, as if it was full of pockets and mysterious items.

"Yes yes. Most assuredly." the man replied bobbing his head. "It would be beyond foolish to try and deceive a man of your means"

The tall man smiled, a grim expression that seemed as if it didn't belong in the world of the living. "Very true, Mr. Crux. Consider it settled then" He produces a small pouch and handed it to the old man.

The man tossed the bag in his palm once and grinned at the sound of coins clattering inside "Very good sir" he bobbed his head again "Use it well, that is one of the last soulshards in existence.

"Rest assured" The man stated casually as he removed the stone from it's casing, it's pale glow illuminating his gaunt face"I know exactly what to do with such a valuable item." The man then replaced the stone and stalked off through the alleyways. Behind him 'Mr. Crux' stepped deeper into the shadows and vanished.

-

"Oooh, what's this do" Digi cooed as she stared starry eyed at a red button the size of her fist with numerous warnings on the panel surrounding it.

I/O and Belle stood a little away; they had stopped chasing her after I/O turned off the labs primary power. The only systems still active were the main computer terminal and the unstable system storage lockup, the door to which was cleverly marked 'Library'.

"You really shouldn't play around with those" Belle chided Digi. I/O however seemed strangely disinterested.

Ignoring both of the older children, Digi pushed the button, a pink gas shot into her face. "Mmm, Bubblegum" Digi sighed happily as she collapsed into a heap.

"Oh no" Belle cried, running over to the unconscious girl. I/O Go get help.

"Don't worry, she's fine." he explained. "Nightwing gave me that stuff a long time ago in case she started messing around too much. Wish I could figure a better way to administer it tho, took forever for her to find the right button."

After the two had taken Digi to her bedroom, Belle followed I/O back to his lab.

"What do you want anyway" I/O asked her.

"Um... well actually I wanted to ask if you'd seen this" she replied, pulling a flier from her backpack.

I/O took the paper and glanced at it"Science fair? What's this about"

"Well... I was wondering if you were gonna enter. You're pretty good at science and stuff, so I figured..."

"I don't enter contests. They're stupid. Besides, Cyborg would never let me."

"Why wouldn't he"

I/O gestured around the room"Maybe because I have enough technology here to renovate the Pentagon"

"So what? There's got to be other things you can do to enter into the fair"

"Cyborg still wouldn't let me enter."

"I bet he would if you asked."

"I doubt it."

"Pfft, you're just scared to ask."

"Whatever."

"Just do it, you never know, maybe he might just let you enter"

I/O sighed as he decided that if he continued debating with Belle, than nothing would be achieved, save for him getting a big headache. With this in mind, he decided on a compromise.

"Tell you what, if I ask him he lets me enter, I'll put some thought into it and see what I can come up with, if not, then end of discussion. Deal?"

"Deal, now come on" replied Belle as she walked out of the lab, with a reluctant I/O following behind her.

-

Cyborg stood before Belle, his imposing form seeming an impenetrable wall to the young girl's idea. Belle meanwhile was mercilessly employing the most powerful weapon in a child's arsenal: the Cute factor. Complete with huge watery eyes and quivering lip. I/O just leaned against the wall by the door, wondering why he agreed to this. Nightwing and Starfire meanwhile sat nearby on the sofa, watching a show about funny home movies on the Television.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Cyborg explained, his discomfort visible. "I/O's got too much of an advantage, I mean, how many of the other entrants have particle fusion soldering tools?"

"Well… we can work at my house!" the girl declared. "I don't have any of that weird Batman stuff."

"That may be true, but it's still not fair. I mean have you seen this kids stuff? He's like some midget McGuyver!"

"You realize I'm still here, right?" I/O remarked dryly.

"Oh, just let the boy enter Cy," Nightwing called from across the room. "It'd be a good experience for him,"

"And he should socialize more with his fellow children," Starfire added.

"I'm still here you know," I/O reiterated.

"Fine," Cyborg grumbled. "You can do it here. But no supertech, and nothing dangerous, Capiche?"

"All but that last word," Belle replied innocently.

"Well it means… wait a minute… How did you?" Cyborg glowered at the girl as she jogged from the room.

I/O sighed.

"Are you still here?" Cyborg asked.

Whatever I did to deserve this," I/O muttered, looking at the ceiling, "I promise to never do it again." And with that he left the room. To join the excited girl for what he expected to be a week of sheer torment.

-

"The following week went peacefully, the eager Belle and the apathetic I/O working together perfectly…"

"Where's the glue gun, Belle!" I/O grumbled as he tried in vain to find the said tool.

"I thought you had it" Belle muttered as she also looked for said tool.

"How can I have the glue gun if I'm busy preparing the base model!" I/O said as they both continued to look for the glue gun, both unaware it was on the table they were looking under.

…had the idea all planned out..

"..now we can begin applying the.."

"Does that look right? " Belle commented as she inquired to the project in progress.

" Now what's wrong!" I/O grumbled for what he counted as the 12th time he was interrupted from completing the entry project.

"Well it kinda looks a little funny, you know, just doesn't look right"

"Maybe it would look better if you actually let me FINISH the blasted thing"

"Hey! Don't you yell at me! I'm just trying to make this go easier!" Belle said sharply while crossing her arms.

I/O looked at the glue gun…then at Belle's mouth….then back at the gun….then Belle…and this continued til Belle broke I/O's reverie.

"What are you looking at the glue gun for?" Belle asked quizzically

"Nothing" I/O said with a grin.

-

"Eh hem… okay, maybe not quite so peacefully…" the Narrator sighed.

"Hey! Who let you outta your cage?" James yelled as he started chasing the Narrator around with his baseball bat.

"Um… You readers continue while I get these idiots to stop screwing around," Steve suggested as he took up the chase

-

I/O yawned and stretched. The past week had been especially hard on him. Not only had he and Belle worked daily on their entry, a working electrical monorail, but he had spent a large portion of his nights working on his secret invention. The bracer-like contraption was practically a work of art. I/O had tested the computer system and solid light projector. It would create an interactive keyboard and visual display. I/O had also created a weapon system that was a vast improvement over his prior one. The weapon consisted of two small beams which would fire parallel a millimeter apart. When these connected with an object, the energy would spread out. Once these energies combined they would result in a concussive explosion similar to a sonic boom. I/O hadn't known how powerful to make the blast so he had included a force adjustor. At it's lowest setting the weapon would feel like a tap on the shoulder, at it's strongest… well he hadn't tried anything above twenty-five percent, which had left a sizable dent in the inch thick steel panel he used as a target.

I/O set the device in his most secure storage chamber, and trudged up to his room. Belle was going to arrive sometime in the morning so that they and the other children could reach the fair before the noon judging. Sketch and Digi were coming along since Blackfire decided it would be a good learning experience for the two. I/O fell into bed, determined to get at least some sleep before being forced to endure what he expected would be a boring experience on par with watching Sketch's nose whistle recital at his last school talent show.

-

The gaunt man looked across the circle of runes to the crowd of people, the terror evident on the many that recognized him. He waved his arm and a wall of blood red energy swept across the cavernous subway station he had chosen for the ritual. The energy, a tangible and impenetrable wall advanced towards the people who were now stampeding towards the exits. Those who were too slow to escape were encased in the glowing barrier, frozen in place helplessly. The barrier stopped before reaching the stairs leading to the streets above.

Through all this, the man paced the circle occasionally bending to inspect or correct one of the many symbols lining the floor. After his inspection was complete, the man moved towards the helpless citizens, his robes swishing softly along as he walked.

"I am so glad you decided to join me." The man taunted as he moved among his now captive audience. "This is truly a once in a lifetime experience. No… more than that, It's a once in a thousand lifetime experience!" the man cackled.

"You won't get away with this," One of the prisoners screamed at him.

"Oh but I believe I will, and this," the man explained brandishing a faintly glowing stone "will assure my victory." The man cast his arm towards the distant circle and the stone floated from his hand towards the magical ring, its glow brightening as it moved slowly to hover in the center its light pulsing like some crazed heartbeat.

One of the citizens gulped loudly and asked, her voice wavering slightly, "What do you want with us?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The evil sorcerer asked, his eyes locked on the stone, "My guest has been gone a long while, and is surely hungry. You are the appetizers."

"The Titans will stop you!" another captured person shrieked.

"The Titans," the villain sneered locking the protestor with a baleful glare "are the main course"

None of the citizens could find the words to argue further. Few could intimidate the populace as easily as this man. The notorious Brother Blood. As the stone pulsed, Blood laughed, his evil plan was finally coming to fruition.

None of the people in the station, so concerned with their own worries and ambitions, noticed the shadows of the subway tunnel, or the darker form moving within those shadows.

"A fool, ever a fool," muttered the stooped figure. "Surely the master will destroy that insolent creature. Would that there was another more worthy of becoming my master's avatar." The man continued stalking the shadows, his pinpoint eyes never leaving the stone. He knew not if this would finally be the time of ascension for his dark mentor, but he would wait. Forever would he wait if need be. Ever was Crux a patient man.

-

The wail of an alarm cut through I/O's sleep, ripping him from his dreams like a chainsaw through butter. I/O glared at his clock for a moment before he realized it was the tower's alert system. Something must have happened and the Titans were needed. This realization shocked him fully awake. I/O ran from his bedroom towards the living room that doubled as a briefing room. When he arrived Cyborg, Terra and Beastboy were there, the former two alert and ready for anything and the changing still snoozing where he and Terra had likely fallen asleep the prior night watching T.V. Nightwing and Starfire ran in immediately after I/O barely preceding Raven's unconventional entrance from the ceiling.

Nightwing gave I/O a nod as he entered. He made no secret of the fact that he approved of the children attending the briefings, since he felt them the most likely successors to the Tower and Title of local heroes once he and the others moved on. Thus far only I/O had shown any significant interest in the briefings, since Sketch found them dull and Digi too young to understand the proceedings.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

"It's Blood," Cyborg replied "He's got something going down at the 23rd street subway station. Reports say hostages are involved."

Nightwing nodded grimly "Fine, We better handle this, the police have no chance of stopping a psycho like Blood."

Terra looked at I/O, "Sorry bud, doesn't look like we can watch you win that trophy."

I/O shrugged it away, "Blood's more important. Just pound him a few times for me and we'll call it even."

"You got it," Terra replied flexing her arm and throwing the boy a wink.

Honestly, I/O wouldn't have minded joining the group, but he knew that even with his new invention he would only be a hindrance against an opponent as unpredictable and vicious as Blood.

As it was, I/O was left staring at the monitors as the Titans sped off towards their deadly foe.

-

Shortly after the Titans left the doorbell rang I/O answered it. He opened the door since he knew it was Belle.

She was wearing dark blue jeans and a black long sleeve casual shirt. Her glasses and pendant were as always present as well.

"Hiya!" She sang cheerfully. "How's it going? I saw the Titans leave, Nothing's wrong is it?" she finished, looking concerned.

"Nothing they can't handle," I/O replied, stepping aside so she could enter.

Belle picked up her backpack from the ground before following I/O inside and towards the kitchen where the ever busy Blackfire had taken advantage of the early wakeup call to make one of her typical huge breakfasts. Digi and Sketch were already at the table making respectable headway on the ample meal.

"Sketch! Are you okay?" Belle asked, rushing over to the boy.

"Yeah," Sketch began with a laugh, "I'm okay."

"That's good," Belle said with a sigh, before suddenly grabbing the boy by the collar and dragging him to within an inch of her face, "Because if you ever scare me like that I'll rip you into pieces small enough for Silky to eat!"

"O, Okay," Sketch stammered as she dropped him to the floor.

"Care to join us?" I/O asked, not bothering to hide his chuckle. "Miss Blackfire always makes a lot of food so there's plenty."

"I wouldn't want to impose…" Belle began

"Nonsense," Blackfire replied walking in with another platter of food "I ain't about to let you go hungry, you're here, and there's food on the table already. Now eat."

The girl didn't need any further convincing and a few minutes later she was wondering why she ever wanted to try and pass on the meal.

Once the meal was over Blackfire, with Digi and Sketch's help, set about cleaning the dining room while Belle and I/O headed to the lab to collect their entry. The two disassembled their creation swiftly, carefully packing it into two boxes for transport. Belle chattered endlessly, obviously excited. I/O snickered when she talked about last year's entry; a volcano that Sketch and she put together and unfortunately exploded when Sketch poured the wrong chemicals into it.

"You trusted Sketch with chemicals?" I/O asked. "I wouldn't trust him with a box of cracker jacks."

Belle laughed at his comment, and seemed a little less nervous for it.

Once they had the boxes packed I/O decided to take his personal invention, not as an entry of course, but with the threat of trouble nearby… well one could never be too careful.

"Where ya going?" Belle asked, jogging up beside him as he strode towards his weapon's lockup.

"Getting something," He replied.

"Oh… Should I stay here?" the girl asked.

I/O stopped and look at her for a second, "Nah, You can come."

"Okay," She replied, falling into step beside him.

The two quickly came to a door marked 'Library' and I/O started pressing a code into the security panel.

"You need a book or something?" Belle asked curiously.

"No."

The massive doors parted revealing a hall full of various inventions I/O started down this path, Belle following awe stricken behind him.

"What are all these?" She asked breathlessly.

"These are the inventions I'm most proud of, as well as some of the most dangerous things the Titans have collected over the years." I/O explained.

"Um… if you don't mind me asking… why does it say 'Library' on the door? I don't see any books." The girl asked cautiously.

"Simple," I/O replied. "When's the last time Sketch actually entered a library of his own volition?"

The simple and obvious answer shocked Belle momentarily, and then she laughed again. "I see your point," she giggled.

I/O soon stood before the shelf with his newest invention. He took it and clasped it onto his left forearm, the fit was perfect, covering from his wrist almost to his elbow, the entire thing weighed less than four pounds. He moved his arm around experimentally, the weight was notable but not so much as to cause him any unusual inconvenience.

"What's that?" Belle asked.

I/O thought for a moment before deciding it would be best if she only knew part of the story. "My new laptop," he explained. "I think it'll be harder to snatch like this."

"Eheheh… Um… Sorry again about that." Belle said sheepishly.

"Forget about it," I/O told her, "Let's go win us a contest," he said grinning at her.

"Okay!" She exclaimed.

-

"Hyaaa!" Cyborg screamed, slamming his fist into the glowing barrier, he and the greengorilla that was Beastboy had been alternately pounding the wall for minutes now. Ever since Terra's tunnel around idea proved futile.

"We haven't got time for this," Nightwing decided. "What's taking Raven so long?"

"Sorry," the dark titan replied, returning from her excursion to her personal Grimoire collection. "I had to find the right incantations."

Nightwing nodded and moved aside to make room for the local sorceress.

Raven levitated the book beside her reading as she poured a powder into her palm from a small pouch. "Everto Reproba Tutamen!" she declared casting the dust at the barrier, which vanished where the grains struck leaving a gap large enough for the Titans to enter.

"Great work, Titans go!" Nightwing yelled despite the fact that the others had already run through the opening.

The Titans entered the station and no sooner had they saw Blood, took the initiative with Cyborg and Nightwing charging at the villain, who evaded the flurry of sonic blasts boomerangs with little difficulty. Next came Starfire, eyes glowing green as she hurled her bright green starbolts at Blood, who again dodged out of the way. Just as Blood dodged the last starbolt, he was knocked down by Beast Boy, who had transformed from a ram into a gorilla. Before Beast Boy could continue, Blood swept his hand as he sent a crimson wave of energy that knocked the changeling aside.

"Titans, what a predictable surprise" Blood taunted as he got up and dusted himself off. "I'm actually quite glad you showed up, it would be such a disappointment for you miss out on something so amazing as this " Blood stated as he made a sweeping gesture towards the glowing red stone in the center of a large circle of runes.

"What the heck is that thing" Nightwing demanded, confusion clearly evident in his voice.

"A Soulshard" spoke Raven, who stared mutely at the stone. "A crystal infused with the power of stolen souls. A crime against all of existence."

"Uh huh… and what do they do? Other than make pretty colors I mean." Beastboy asked.

"Breach the veil between planes of existence." Raven replied.

"So let's stop standing here and smash that thing!" Cyborg shouted, charging his sonic cannon and rushing at the stone. He ran at the stone firing his cannon with every step, but the attacks never breached the barrier formed by the runes. Before he could reach it and attempt a more hands on approach he found himself flying backwards, courtesy of a magically enhanced punch from Blood.

"Cy's right!" Terra yelled, calling her to the stones around her and sending them at both the shielding enchantment and Blood. "Let's take this thing down!"

Taking her announcement as their cue, the Titans rushed Blood again. Raven however slipped into the shadows to inspect the summoning circle. She paced the circle, looking for a flaw in the design, some weakness she could exploit. She shook her head in disgust when she realized the ring was perfect. "Nothing is ever easy," she muttered. As she pressed her hands against the barrier and began chanting in some indecipherable language.

The stone suddenly pulsed once and sent a wave of black energy out and through the surrounding witnesses.

"And so it begins," Blood growled.

The energy pulsed again and again, slowly gaining momentum. Raven's chanting hastened as well, and she pushed through the enchanted barrier quickly. Once inside she quickly set to destroying the runes, smudging them with her feet and throwing the dust she had all around. The barrier soon collapsed with a screech like nails on a chalkboard.

"NOW! Smash it!" She yelled.

"No! You can't!" Blood shrieked "No one can stop it now!" Blood then launched into a flurry of attacks that hard pressed even the Titans.

"Oh no?" Cyborg asked sarcastically. "Watch us." He then grabbed Beastboy by the shirt and launched him into the air towards the shard which now glowed a black so deep it seemed to be a hole in the air itself.

Beastboy spun through the air flipping end over end and transforming into an ankylosaurus and he flew, slamming his club of a tail into the crystal like an enraged blacksmith hammering a glass goblet.

"You fool!" Blood screamed. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

The stone shattered releasing a wall of pure darkness which engulfed the Titans and a good portion of the city. As the darkness faded away Raven saw a movement in the shadows.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" She said casting her arms and powers toward the flicker of motion.

-

The children gathered around their chaperone as Blackfire led them through the crowd. The fair was a citywide celebration held in a field just outside of the city and had events ranging from concerts and games to the aforementioned science fair. The tower children trailed her, looking around excitedly. Even I/O was in awe of the sights and sounds. Sketch was a bit more enthusiastic about the snack booths tho.

As they meandered through the fairground a man in a sharp suit stepped before them.

"Welcome!" The man announced. "Always a pleasure to have one of the Titans here."

"Oh, I'm not a Titan," Blackfire explained to the excitable gentleman. "But my sister is."

"Regardless," the man continued. "A true honor to have you attend our fine festival. This is Samuel, he will attend to your every need."

"That's really okay," Blackfire replied. "I'm sure we can manage on our own."

"No no no, I insist." The man said with a smile as he turned and jogged off into the crowd to greet more people.

"You're just here to make sure Sketch doesn't blow something up, aren't you?" Belle asked the visibly nervous man.

"Uh huh," He replied nodding.

"Well then, You can carry this," Belle told the man handing him her box. "And if Sketch does blow anything up I'll pound him into toothpaste for ya."

"You just didn't wanna carry that box," I/O observed.

"Darn skippy," Belle answered leading the way towards their assigned booth.

The children took their booth and set up their monorail invention and settled to wait for the judges to pass by.

Digi and Sketch drew in the sandy ground while Blackfire sat back in a chair doing a crossword. Samuel meanwhile leaned against the side of the booth occasionally glaring at Sketch.

The judges worked their way from table to table taking their time and chatting with each participant.

"Marvelous, Simply marvelous!" the judge crowed "I've never seen a robot so advanced! I'm certain this has to be a corporate job. Whose entry is this?" the man asked suspiciously.

I/O curious about the commotion moved over to the unknown android and examined it from afar. It was magnificent, humanoid design, perfect balance, and it moved with such ease that he instantly knew it was an expertly crafted machine. Then it turned around.

I/O fell back stammering, the faceplate of the robot was one he knew well. "Blackfire!" he yelled turning and running back to his guardian.

Instantly alert, Blackfire threw her puzzle to the ground and looked past him to the robot, now advancing on them. She loosed her starbolts at the thing, blasting it repeatedly and would have won the duel, had a score of additional androids not chosen that moment to attack. The new attackers leapt from tents, dug up from the ground, and even flew down from the skies. Blackfire knew she had to fight them off, to protect the innocent citizens. But there were too many, and she could see more arriving by the second.

-

The being entwined in the shadowy tendrils under Raven's command, was peculiar.

The boy, if it could be called a boy, had hair of such a deep black that it seemed to absorb the light around him. The uncombed, almost wild way it was set about his head almost hid his horns, which sprouted just above his pointed ears, and curved around closely to his skull, ending in twin points on either side of his head just above his eyes.

The creature snarled and cursed at them in a language most of the team couldn't understand, but which drew an uncharacteristic flush from Raven. The creature lunged at them, fighting and pulling against the tendrils of living darkness binding his ankles and wrists, slashing with his claws and gouging ruts in the street with each taloned foot. The most impressive appendage the creature possessed though were its wings. As black as its hair, feathered, and each easily had a span as wide as the boy was tall.

All in all, the creature was impressive, despite his youth.

"Great" Raven muttered. "He let out a Winghorde. Just what we don't need."

The creature responded with another stream of curses.

"Doesn't this thing know English" Cyborg asked.

"Fuck off! You tin plated piece of..." The creature was cut off as the shadows enveloped the rest of him in a sound proof bubble.

"You had to ask" Raven glared at Cyborg.

"Wait, didn't I break the weird glowy thing? How'd it still work?" The ever confused Beastboy asked.

"When you broke the stone, it released its energy in one quick burst," Raven calmly explained. "It still tore a hole through the dimensions, just not one large enough or powerful enough for whatever Blood was summoning to get through. I assume this… thing just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get out."

"Unlucky you mean," Nightwing corrected determinedly ignoring the creature's gestures. "We've caught him and we'll find a way to send it back. But we've also got to catch Blood."

The Titans nodded their accord, well most did. Terra was too busy exchanging gestured with the prisoner to note more than the generalities of the conversation.

"Terra!" Nightwing scolded. "Do not taunt the prisoner."

"Yeah yeah," She muttered waving him away "We'll finish this later," she promised the creature, before walking away from it's continued visual assault.

"Okay, now here's how we'll do this-" Nightwing began, only to be interrupted by his communicator. "Yeah, what do you need?" He asked opening the device.

His response came from a visibly stressed and exhausted Blackfire. "It's Slade! He's got the kids! I… I tried… But…" sobbing could be heard over the link a fact that sobered even the usually irrepressible Terra.

"Raven, Get that thing to Headquarters and put it somewhere safe. The rest of us…" and he didn't bother continuing. For the second time that day he was left behind by his team's determined rush to stop a criminal.

-

James- Hey Steve, stop torturing the lawyer for a minute and get in here! Geeze did I just say to stop hurting a lawyer? I gotta lay off the Nyquil I think…

Steve- Um, I wasn't torturing that guy, the lawyer and him kinda crawled away while we were chasing the narrator.

James- Well don't that just suck. What're we gonna do now? And what about that whole _(in nasally annoying voice)_ "Stop maiming our employees, hur hur hur"? Damn legal fat cats.

Steve- How about we hire a narrator we like?

James- Like? Narrator? You speak blasphemy!

Steve- Trust me. _(Walks to the door)_ Meet our new Narrator.

Voice- Next time! On super dimensional Demon girl Etna!

Steve- Psst… It's called Future forward.

Etna- Well, that's a dumb name.

James- Shut up.

Etna- Well it is.

James- Did you even read the story?

Etna- Nah, summaries are more fun my way.

Steve- And your way is?

Etna- _(grinning)_ Make it up. And if it doesn't work out, blame Laharl.

James- When can you start?

Steve- _(clears his throat)_ Okay, now onto the reviews.

A Dragons Wings:

James- Well, as we told you via e-mail, we're planning to put your character in. But we won't spoil the surprise (or our opportunity to change the circumstances if we think up a more entertaining way by saying when or where). But soon I assure you we've already done some thought on it and like what we've come up with.

Steve- Like we said before, your character will be put into our story, just gotta wait for it, cuz when we do, we want it to be special and make it a good intro. Til then, just sit back and enjoy the nuttiness.

Raven002:

James- (Laughs) I know what ya mean, I used to work retail, and some customers I mean, some customers do the dumbest things. Well, hope work isn't too bad for ya, tho if you have time to read fanfics it can't be all bad.

Steve- Yup, I can relate to the dumb things customers do….or leave behind, back at the old job, the people would leave some of the weirdest ( and quite disgusting ) stuff behind. (shudders) Bad images, bad bad bad. Well, hope work goes back well, and take care.

James- Good to hear from you two, We appreciate all the reviews we can get. On that note we would like to get more, either in the review section or via e-mail at Tifiridrake I know there are things we could do better, so give us a line and we'll see what we can do. Also, we are considering changing the title of this story, now that it's become fairly long. The name Future forward isn't particularly sensible, so… we'd like recommendations for a new one, I can't make up titles for squat and Steve… well, he'd just as well call it "the Fic" or "Big floppy donkey dong" simply for the shock value.

Steve- _(Smacks James)_ Even if it is true. But I wouldn't cause it'd get us banned.

James- …right, remind me again why I don't maim you?

Steve- Because I know your weakness.

James- What weakness?

Steve- _(Evil glint in his eye)_ You can't handle… the CUTE FACTOR! (holds up a picture of Ruri Hoshino

James- You evil bastard. I cannot resist the cuteness of a 13 year old cynic, you idiot. _(rushes to the TV to watch Nadesico again.)_

Steve- _(Laughs evilly)_

Etna- My bosses are a couple of morons. Ahh well, as long as I get paid. Oh and for the disclaimer, I'm supposed to tell you I'm property of Atlus and the game Disgaea: Hour of Darkness... property my butt. No one can own this much cuteness


	5. Bad guy Babysitting

Future Forward chap.5: Operation Escape

"And this is the last room, the author's writing room," Etna explained as she guided her companion Flonne, a fallen angel from her own world, through the 'Tower of 1337 floors'.

"Why are there so many floors?" The cute but ditzy angel asked. "Is it so they're high and get a nice view up here?"

"No, I'm pretty sure it's because they thought it was cool." Etna replied dryly. "But I wonder, where are they? They were supposed to start the fanfic five minutes ago…"

"There's a note pinned to the door for you," Flonne said, handing her the piece of paper."

"We went out for a bit. Please post the fic for us." Etna read "Like hell I will, that's not in my contract!"

"What else does it say?

"Umm… 'P.S. We'll pay you 25 extra' Alright! Come on Flonne, we got work to do! Grab the fic from the desk."

"What's a fic? All I see is this big Stack of papers,"

"That's it; bring it over here will ya?"

"It's too heavy…" Flonne groaned.

"Whadaya mean too heavy, It can't be… Those bastards are paying me more than a measly 25 for this shit," Etna exclaimed as she sighted the monstrous mound of paper. "Ahh well," she sighed. "Let's get this over with before the fans get here and harass us since those losers left."

I/O groaned and sat up, gazing around at the room he and the others were in. The room was approximately eight feet long and five feet wide, a pane of thick glass cut off the last three feet, leaving the children locked in a five foot by five foot chamber. Digi and Belle were sitting on a pallet in one corner watching as Sketch repeatedly rammed the glass.

"Will you just give up already?" Belle was saying, "You've been at it since you woke up. It's not gonna break."

Sketch's response was an unintelligible mumble as he staggered back from his most recent impact.

"Where are we?" I/O asked, walking over to inspect the glass. It was at least an inch thick and probably leaded and tempered.

"No idea," Belle replied. "We all got grabbed and I think they knocked us out with some gas. All I know is we woke up here."

"And him?" I/O asked gesturing to Sketch who was rushing at the door again.

"He's been doing that for over half an hour now." Belle replied, wincing as she heard a loud slam.

"I'm okay, I'll get us out of here, just as soon as you make the room stop spinning." Sketch moaned from the ground where he had fallen.

"Sketch, you can't break that glass. Cyborg couldn't break it." I/O advised.

"Bah, you've said it yourself I can break anything." Sketch replied.

"Trust me, this is different." I/O told him, dismissing the matter. "Are we missing anything?" He asked turning to Belle. He rested his hand on the computer he wore on his arm.

"Sketch's notebook and pens are gone, but everything else seems to be here," she replied.

"So Slade knows about Sketch's power…" I/O muttered. It wasn't surprising; he'd heard Slade had access to more accurate intelligence than most governments.

"Indeed I do," came a taunting voice from across the glass wall. Slade sauntered in, clad in his well known armor and mask.

Digi pushed back against Belle in their corner, while Sketch struggled to his feet and stood shakily trying to decide which of the Slades he saw was real. Belatedly he decided ramming the wall so much was a bad idea.

"What do you want?" I/O asked, standing passively. He was hard pressed to maintain a calm visage, but he knew from the Titan's records that Slade was cocky and was likely to talk if given an attentive audience.

"What do I want?" Slade mused as he paced the small room. "Money, Power, Revenge, There is really a great deal I desire."

I/O's eyes never left the pacing man. "So this is revenge on the Titans" he ventured to ask.

"You are a clever boy" Slade replied. "Clever enough to know I never limit myself to a single reason."

"Fine" I/O replied. "Than why else did you kidnap us?"

"Five bucks says he wants an apprentice…" Sketch cracked, all the children were aware of Slade's earlier failed schemes.

"A wager I assure you would lose, young Timothy" Slade stated. "I have no further desire for troublesome apprentices. I am however, always on the lookout for new henchmen."

"Henchmen?" I/O asked. "You can't possibly want us for something so…stupidly simple."

Slade chuckled " No, you four are much too valuable for a 'stupidly simple' henchman job. No, you and your friends will be to mere henchmen as a Stradivarius is to a harmonica."

"You know we'll never do as you say, right" I/O stated flatly.

"I do believe you will," Slade replied in a voice that could freeze lava. "In fact, I'm certain you will. You won't have a choice."

"There's always a choice." I/O corrected.

"Yes, well. This time there isn't. Do you know what this is?" Slade asked, holding a small item up for the kids to see.

"It's a microchip, duh. Even I know that one." The always irreverent Sketch replied.

Slade emitted a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl. "Yes, it's a microchip. I mean what kind?" he corrected staring intently at I/O who shrugged.

The kids could hear the grin in Slade's voice. "Have you ever heard of the Omega 17 neural inhibitor?"

I/O's jaw dropped in recognition, but it was Belle who spoke, gasping out the device's other name "Mindbender."

"Precisely" was all Slade replied.

Mindbender was created by Lexcorp, as a new age answer to lobotomy. The device was implanted in the brain and was supposed to regulate impulses that led to violent or criminal behavior. Sometimes it worked perfectly, as in Killer Moth's case. He now ironically ran a tailor shop specializing in moth proof clothing. However, after a number of failures, the ventriloquist and puppet team of Scarface resulted in the kind ventriloquist person vanishing, and the Riddler went stark raving mad obsessing over the joke 'why did the chicken cross the road.' The operation was deemed illegal, and all experiments with it were banned.

"You wouldn't dare risk it." I/O reasoned. "That thing is too unpredictable."

"This isn't the original design, the kindly Doctor Chang and I improved it. You'd be surprised at how much easier it is to inhibit the kinder, gentler impulses." Slade began idly juggling four of the chips. "There is one drawback I'm afraid. The chips seem to interfere with the creativity impulses too. "He palmed one of the chips while juggling the other three in his hand. "I had hoped we could arrange a deal." He stared at I/O while saying this. "I will let the older girl go, and you will agree to stay."

"Why?" I/O prompted.

"Your parents were brilliant; I suspect you have some of their innate genius."

"Did you know our parents?"

"No. In fact, it proved quite troublesome finding information on them. Their early works were spectacular. They stood on the leading edge of a number of scientific discoveries; from laser advances to the development of the gravitic engine core for the recent space explorers. However, that all ended a decade ago. They could have continued." Slade's voice was rising; he seemed to take personal affront at the later lives of the two scientists. "Indeed those two decided to become humanitarians, their later works; Newfood: bio-engineered foodstuff capable of doubling it's mass in a span of 24 hours, a cheap and nutritious, if bland food product. Their works were all meager worthless drivel like that…" Slade continued his ranting, oblivious to it's effect on it's audience. ".. or complete failures!" He threw a sheet of paper onto the floor, glaring at it as it lay there. Quickly composing himself, he continued "You see, Isaac. It took even my informants nearly a week to collect that much data. In a mere matter of years, your parents will be a minor piece of obscure trivia, known only to the eccentric and perhaps a few scholars. Join me, accept my offer. Do, and everything you could ever wish for will be in your grasp. Imagine it; fame, power, riches, anything. Of course, your only alternative is to become a mindless minion."

"The Titans will save us" I/O stated, trembling.

"Very well" Slade conceded, stepping back. "I will change you last. So that if they do save you, it will only be you and in the end; you will realize the wisdom of my offer, or…" and Slade shrugged carelessly. "You'll follow your parents, forgotten fools, helping all; remembered by none…" Slade laughed "..and soon enough, forgotten by even their own children!"

I/O snapped his right arm out, running his left down the side of his computer, running the safety bar down to its end, activating the weapon mode on maximum power. "We'll never forget!" he shouted, his voice breaking as he fired the weapon. He knew it was a risky move, but he didn't care, he'd yell at himself later.

"Look, I don't care what excuse you got, get out there and find the kids!" Blackfire yelled into the phone. She was pacing back and forth in the main room of the Tower.

The Winghorde sat on the couch, which was surrounded by runes of warding designed to keep him from escaping. "Well this is about as interesting as watching slimes mate." He muttered watching the agitated woman storm around the room.

"Yeah yeah, Slade scary." She shouted at the cop on the phone. "But if I don't hear sirens over every inch of this city in five seconds, I'll Show you scary. And if I have to come down there I'm bringing an ass kicking with me. You got that you ranfak-lutermench?

The demon just sat there staring at her.

As the dust settled, it became apparent that the glass divider was no longer in place, it had completely out of it's brackets and flown across the room. Slade, or rather the android Slade sent in his place, was shattered against the far wall. I/O meanwhile was slumped against the opposite wall, having been thrown back by the intense blast. He rubbed the back of his head as he sat up and observed the newly-made door.

"Whoa, didn't expect the blast to be THAT strong" I/O stated as he got up off of the ground and then looked over to see if the others were alright.

While they appeared to be fine from a physical point of view, the utterly dumbfounded look of sheer shock that hung on their faces clearly spoke otherwise, more clearly with Sketch, who was laying on the ground.

"Uhhhh, are you guys ok?" I/O asked as he waved his hand in each of the others faces "We can leave at anytime, preferably now, so please respond".

Not long after the initial shock had finally subsided, Belle grabbed the young scientist by his shirt and pulled him down to look him right in the eyes.

"Just a laptop! What in the name of all that is sane around here was that! All I remember was that Slade-bot or whatever it's called started saying some bad things, then you holding your arm out and then BOOM! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!" Belle shrieked in a mix of shock, anger, and having a panic attack, all the while giving I/O 'the Look'.

I/O felt as if he was a deer caught in the headlights of a giant truck driven by an insane truck driver with a severe hatred for all things cute and fuzzy, when he felt the steely gaze of a disheveled Belle on him. Wanting to be both away from Slade's lair and no longer under 'the Look', I/O came to the only solution he could think of.

"Uhhhhhh, I'll tell you when we get home" I/O murmured nervously, hoping that maybe, just maybe, that reason would suffice. (Yeah right).

As Belle continued to have a very one-sided staring contest against I/O, Digi went to go check on Sketch, who was currently splayed out in a daze.

"Sketch, are you ok" Digi asked as she shook the brain-addled boy who lay before her. No sooner had she asked then Belle and I/O had come up to check on him.

"Sketch, you with us buddy" I/O said as he started to look Sketch over.

"Uhhh…" Sketch muttered.

"How many fingers am I holding up" Belle stated as she held up 3 fingers.

Sketch started counting off the multitude of fingers that swam in his vision. "…1….2……7…."

Coming to the conclusion that time was of the essence, I/O decided to go for a more direct method of assessing Sketch.

"Hey Digi, I think I dropped something over by the bed, can you get it for me"

"Ok big brother"

When Digi's attention was otherwise pre-occupied, I/O held up a single finger. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"I'M TELLING!"

"He's fine, let's go." I/O declared

"Fine, but when we get out of here, we're all gonna have a very long discussion." Belle huffed as she watched I/O and Sketch step out of the cell, Digi being the only other person with her.

"Umm Digi, you don't have any weird abilities, do you?"

"I can wiggle my ears, does that count?"

Belle sighed heavily as she held Digi's hand and finally moved out into the hallway.

When searching as a group had proven fruitless, they all decided to split up and pursue multiple methods of tracking. Currently, Nightwing and Starfire were actively on the lookout for Slade, Cyborg and Raven were visiting various prisons and interrogating criminals who might've had potential knowledge to where Slade may be hiding, while Terra and Beast Boy were milling about at the fair for any clues as to where the children were taken to.

"Slaaaaaade!" Starfire screamed, blasting through yet another wall. "I will find you and I will have your Grenbars in a jar!"

Nightwing meanwhile was sorting through the debris for whatever clues he might be able to discern. "Um, Star… We need clues, and you seem to be vaporizing everything but the ground beneath us."

"Of Course!" Starfire cried, as she began to launch volley after volley into the ground beneath her. "That is the last place to look!"

Nightwing sighed and walked outside to call the police from a pay phone and warn them of the eminent building collapse.

I/O braced himself against the wall as he peered over the corner to see if any security measures were present. Behind him was Sketch, who'd been ransacking any storeroom for paper and pencils ever since they busted out of their cell, so far he turned up nothing. Belle had been looking out for anything behind them, with Digi sticking close by.

"What do ya see I/O" Belle asked.

"Just a row of doors, but other than that, I don't see any guards or cameras" I/O spoke as he quickly made his way down the hall, testing to see if any of the doors were open. So far the doors he had tried had been locked, but when I/O tested the last door, it opened. He turned back to the corner and gave the ok to the others, who quickly filed into the room.

"Where are we" Digi said as she started looking at all the monitors and buttons with glee.

"Dunno, but from all the screens and such, I'd say it's important" I/O said as he looked at all the computers present.

"I think we're in some kind of security room, you think they might have a radio?" Belle questioned

"Possibly, let's check it out" I/O muttered as he and Belle began looking at every computer they could find, while Sketch had been busy tearing the place apart looking for paper. Meanwhile, Digi had been busy watching all the different stuff on the screens, wondering if maybe they could show cartoons.

"No radios here, you find anything." Belle said with a sigh.

"Looks like we're in some kind of control room" I/O muttered thoughtfully

"Control room, you thinking what I'm thinking" Belle asked with a sly grin.

"Absolutely" I/O said as he turned to Digi "Hey Digi"

"Yeah big brother"

"Remember how I always told you to never touch any buttons you don't know about"

"Yeah, you told me that the last time I pressed this red button and almost caused a 'Core meltdown' whatever that means".

"Well forget about that for now. Your mission is press every button you see, no matter what havoc it may cause, I want complete and utter chaos can you do that?"

Digi gave I/O a salute and a "Yes sir" as she turned into a little whirlwind of button pressing, lever pulling, and toggle switching glee. While I/O and Belle watched the screens, seeing that all Hell was breaking loose on the base.

"Alright Dr. Light, start talking!" Cyborg hollered at the prisoner in question.

"What makes you think I, the brilliant Dr. Light, would be forced to seek help from some other mediocre villain" said the ever snide criminal.

"The tech you used for your last heist could only have been made by Slade, and we have evidence that shows you've been doing jobs for him in order to pay for that debt, so that means you may have a way to reach him, and I wanna know NOW!" Cyborg said as he slammed his metal fist into the table.

"Even if I do know, makes you think I'd actually tell you anything" Dr. Light said with more than just a hint of smugness.

"Ok then, we can do this one of two ways, you start talking to me, or you can start talking to her" Cyborg spoke in an icy voice.

"What do you mean talk..to…..the goth chick is behind me isn't she" Dr.Light said with quite a bit of fear in his voice, feeling dread as Cyborg nodded.

When Dr.Light turned around, he saw Raven looming above of him, black tendrils of energy moving from underneath her cloak, although he didn't know what was more unnerving, the writhing mass of shadows inside her cloak, or the fact that she was making kissy faces at him.

"Hey there Bright Eyes" Raven said in a sultry voice as she blew him a kiss, then started inch closer to the criminal.

Getting a vague idea of what was about to happen, Dr. Light finally cracked. "Ok, ok! I'll talk, just keep those tentacles away!"

"Now that's what I wanna hear" Cyborg smiled as Dr. Light spilled his guts.

" Ah, there's nothing quite like taking a shower to make a man out of you, isn't that right Mr. Squeakers" spoke the voice of the criminal mastermind Slade…….as she spoke to his rubber ducky while clad only with a towel around his waist and a towel around his head.

Squeak Squeak

" Oh Squeakers, my friend, you are the only who truly appreciates my genius…." Slade cooed as he rubbed the ducky against his cheek and proceeded to break out into song.

"**And I…….eeeiiiiii….eeeiiiiii…will always…..love youuuuuuu"**

So deep was Slade into his ballad to the ducky that he almost didn't hear his personal communication line go off. After hearing the beeping, and in a split second, we went from a half-naked and hilariously insane love ballad lounge singer to the armor-clad criminal mastermind we all know and fear. Checking to make sure his armor suit gave off the right level of terror, he answered the line.

"What is it" Slade spoke with a tone of voice that could make even the toughest of men cower.

An oil-covered and visibly panicking intern was visible on the screen as complete madness went on in the background.

"Sir, we've got bad news all over the place sir, it's…….is that a baboon behind you, sir?"

" No, he is a chimpanzee" Slade said as he looked back to see a chimpanzee staring at the screen, a look of evil in it's eyes and in a pose that was not unlike the ever famous pose of Gendo Ikari, with the hands interlocked just over the mouth to give him a pondering look of utter malice. Slade called him Mr. Froofy, and was training him to be his new apprentice, of course no one would know this, it would make him look nuts.

"Right…..but anyway, but sir, its utter hell out here!"

"Calm down, now tell me what is happening"

"Every robot in our arsenal has gone completely bonkers, take a look"

The intern swiveled the camera to show the patented Slade-bots suddenly becoming like big iron monkeys as many of them started swinging from pipes, banging wooden chair legs on the ground like clubs and fighting with others to assert dominance, while a few others were throwing oil at each other, the same way a monkey throws it's…..well, you get the idea.

"And if you thought that was bad, wait til you hear this, those kids we kidnapped have escaped."

"I find that doubtful, the door to that cell can't be opened except by this keycard" Slade spoke as he held up the card in question.

"Uhhh, about that sir.." the intern was about to elaborate when Slade brought up a second screen, this one from the security camera from the cell that once held the children, yet all he was a giant hole where the cell door, along with part of the wall, should have been. Rewinding the tape, he saw the android that he used to interrogate prisoners doing it's work, then all of a sudden the child they called I/O suddenly lifted his arm and, in a brief moment of anger, fired off a blast at the door from a device on his arm, then dust obscured the camera, but when it cleared, he saw the room as it looked like now.

"I see, I want you to find some of our best troops and get those robots under control, I'll go and take care of our escapees" Slade spoke, making a mental note to interrogate I/O on how he made that device, it could prove useful.

"Yes sir" The intern spoke as Slade shut off the communication line and turned to Mr. Squeakers

"So Mr. Squeakers, shall I go and teach those unruly children how to behave?"

squeak squeak

"Oh Squeakers, your such a cold-blooded bastard" Slade laughed as he put the ducky down and stepped out of the room, ready to hunt the prisoners down. "Oh, and Mr. Froofy," He said leaning back in, "You may deal with that rude intern as you wish."

The small ape's hands hid his cruel smile.

After causing enough of a ruckus to make even Batman go crazy, the kids made their way through the frenzied halls toward what would hopeful lead to a way out, the Garage Hangar.

"See anything we can use" Belle asked.

I/O scanned all the vehicles in question, unfortunately most were either broken, stripped of parts, or didn't run anymore, it was starting to look hopeless, until he spotted something that, while would attract attention, would get them out of this prison.

"We'll use this tank to bust out of here" I/O stated. "Looks kind of old, but hopefully it should still run".

" Even if you could run, there'd be no place for you to hide" spoke a voice that made the children tremble, for Slade stepped out from behind the tank, arms crossed and, even through the mask, bore an expression of malice.

"I must admit, you children are quite clever, what with all the hysteria you've caused around here. It's that kind of thinking that will make what I'm about to do so difficult."

I/O had lifted his gauntlet up and had prepared to release another blast of concussive energy. Unfortunately, Slade had anticipated this and before I/O could fire, grabbed the boy's arm and twisted it roughly, causing I/O to sink to his knees in pain. Lifting the boy up by his arm, Slade glowered at the children as he took in the terrified looks on their faces.

"Since you've children have proven to be far too unruly for your own good, I think we'll just get the Mindbender operation done with now, and since you've been leading things Isaac, you'll be the first" Slade taunted as I/O thrashed about in his grip.

"NOT ON OUR WATCH IRON-ASS!" came a voice that came from above, catching Slade off guard.

"What!" Slade muttered as he turned towards the voice, giving I/O the time to give Slade a steel-toed boot to the one place where not even iron underwear will protect you, causing Slade to drop him and grab his 'piece'.

Standing above them on a catwalk was what be described as something…awkward

"Belle…why is that man wearing underwear on his head "Digi asked

What Digi was referring to was the strange man on the catwalk wearing a white t-shirt and green cut-off cargo pants, wearing a towel tied around his neck like a cape, and a pair of polka dot boxers with eyeholes cut out on his forehead.

"Who are you" Slade growled, not really sure if he wanted to know this obviously insane person.

"Who am I, I'm the one guy who's gonna kick your metal-ass all over this base, for I am…" said the man as he tried to lean in, but tripped and went tumbling over the rail, all the while screaming on the way down "..DUUUUUUUDE" Gasp "MAAAAAANN!" Before hitting the ground face first.

Everyone looked at the strange person well…..strangely

"Who is this guy" Belle spoke in a voice of pure dumbfoundedness.

"He… is an idiot." A voice behind them said, thoroughly freaking the children out. "But more importantly, we are here to rescue you."

"Uhhhhh…right" I/O said

"So you meanie, evil villain man, how dare you capture innocent children for your vile, kinky plans, what are you some kinda pedo!" Dudeman spoke "Come Mysterious Robed Figure, we must unite in battle to unleash yon holy can of whupass on this evil fartstain"

"…Why do I feel violated just hearing an insult like fartstain?" The robed man muttered quietly.

"NNNNNOOWWWW! Feel the wrath of my Dude powers! MEGA DUDE FIST OF FURY!" Dudeman screamed primal fury as he took a swing at the figure of Slade who stood unmoving as Dudeman's fist connected with Slade's chest, who didn't move an inch and still stared, while Dudeman's fist ached with pain.

Meanwhile, M.R.F. was having problems of his own, "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could I forget to cut arm holes?" He berated himself while attempting to dodge numerous slam dancing robots.

"Okay, one guy's wearing an underwear mask and the other's in a bedsheet straightjacket…" Sketch muttered.

"We're being rescued by a pair of goofballs." Belle replied.

The children watched in a state somewhere between amusement and horror as the robots were moshing with an unwilling M.R.F., while Dudeman was getting his ass handed to him by Slade, who had seemed to be so caught in kicking this fool around, he forgot about his little hostages.

"Who cares, they're the perfect distraction. Let's get out of here" I/O stated

"But shouldn't we help them" Belle said "Yeah, I don't think it was a smart move to fight Slade, but still..."

"Something tells me they'll be just fine. Besides, you wanna fight Slade?"

"…Good point, lead on."

As the very one-sided battles went on, the children piled into the tank and started looking for the ignition.

"I/O! Get off the floor and help me look for the start button!" Sketch yelled as he and Digi groped across the control board. Dropping to his knees he saw that I/O had gutted a portion of the panel. With a spark the engine roared to life.

"Dude! Since when can you hotwire a tank?"

"You wanna go ask Slade for the key? No? Then get down here, left one's the gas, I'll steer." I/O replied.

"Um.. how are we getting out?" Belle asked, when an enormous explosion rocked the room.

"I like that button!" Digi sang.

From outside the group heard "What IDIOT left that thing loaded? Shit! Where're those brats!"

"Slade's ticked…" Sketch mumbled.

"Stop yapping and hit the Gas," I/O ordered strapping himself into the driver's seat.

After hours of searching, interrogating, and snooping around, the Teen Titans had finally

learned that Slade had been recently using an abandoned military base just outside Jump City. After hearing the news, they made a beeline straight to the area in question, ready to deliver much pain.

"Terra, when I get my hands on Slade, I'm gonna turn into a gorilla and twist him into a human pretzel, then turn into a skunk and leave my mark on him." Beast Boy muttered

" Oh yeah, well I'm gonna shove a stalactite up his ass and then bury a mountain on top of him" Terra countered.

"Yeah, well Cyborg is gonna kick is his ass, strap him down, then operate on him and turn him into a can opener"

" Ok then, Raven is gonna go into scary four red-eyed demoness mode and do things to him that would make Trigon cry."

"But Nightwing was trained by Batman, so you know whatever he does will be scary"

"Yet everything else pales in comparison to what Starfire's gonna do to him.."

That was when they both went really quiet at the thought of what an angry, overly-emotional Tamaranean warrior-mother redhead would do to someone who would even so much as make any threatening moves towards her adopted children.

"I think we're gonna need a new city Beast Boy" Terra shuttered at the thought of an angry dragon sized Starfire breathing fire on a city populated with tiny versions of Slade.

This reverie was broken when Terra spotted the strangest thing she ever saw, a tank driving on the road.

" Hey BB, don't you think that's kinda odd to see a tank driving down the street?"

"We'll have to worry about it later, I can see the base from here" Beast Boy said as they were suddenly assailed by robots, robots who were doing the Macarena.

" ACK! MY EYES! zOMG! THEY BURN!" Beast boy shrieked as he suddenly watched as the robots suddenly started pulling off moves like in Michael Jackson's Thriller……then were promptly flattened by a nearby boulder.

" That was the second most terrifying thing I've ever seen" Terra muttered

"What was the first?"

"That time Control Freak started belly-dancing while in an episode of I Dream of Jeanie"

Beast Boy visibly shuttered as he made his way inside the base with Terra, while taking out more robots until the others showed up.

The tank continued lumbering forward down the road as it was coming closer to the city limits.

"So what do we do now?" Belle stated as she listened to the sounds of the treads moving.

"Well, assuming all goes as planned, we get as close to Titan's tower as this thing can get us, then make the last trip of our way there anyway we can." I/O stated as he continued driving. (Not bad for someone without a license)

"Well I hope we can ditch this thing soon, you don't wanna know about all the gross stuff underneath this control panel" Sketch mumbled as he looked up at spitwads, chewed gum, and some other nasty stuff we will not mention.

Belle stared out the window as she watched the looked over the scenery going by. Her parents would never believe everything she'd been through. It was amazing, all her life she'd wanted at least some excitement in her life, and all she had to do was make friends with two people. The first time she met Sketch, she thought he was a skinny, little freak who had straws in his ears in the cafeteria and sat by her in class. The two of them hadn't really been close until the teacher assigned them together for a geography project. They had been assigned a random state to do a report on; the project required an essay and poster as visual aid.

The project went surprisingly well. While it's true Sketch was hopelessly inadequate at the essay, he more than lived up to his name creating a poster to display the information Belle provided. As a result of this unexpectedly cohesive team's efforts, they'd easily received the class's top grade.

The two had become fast friends and common teammates since. As time went on, the two had been on all sorts of childish adventures and had been nearly inseparable when together. Then came the day Sketch had introduced her to the other person who would change everything: I/O.

When she had first spoken to the young genius, she had thought he was a rude, smarter-than-thou geek with absolutely no urge to have anything to do with the outside world. Not quite the friendly person Digi had made him out to be, but after the park incident and their project, she was casting him in a different light. While he was still quite irritable and quick to deliver insults, he possessed an intelligence and maturity that rivaled that of any adult, and always remained calm and rational no matter what situation he was in. In the time she had known him, she learned much more about building than she ever thought she would ever know.

Her reverie was broken when she noticed something out in the distance, she couldn't tell exactly what it was, but it was heading towards the base they had just escaped from. "Hey guys, what's that"

"What is it" I/O said as he continued driving, passing along the coast line.

"I can't see it all that well from here, but there's something flying out there"

"Hey Digi, can you take a look for us"

"'kay" Digi chimed as she looked through the telescope and practically squealed at what she saw "It's a huge rock floating out there!"

"Terra! Sketch hit the brakes!" I/O hollered

"Uhhh, which one is that?" Sketch pondered

"What do you think Sketch, if the gas is the left, than the brake is the right"

"And….what if there is no right pedal?"

" STOP SCREWING AROUND AND HIT THE BRAKES!"

"I TOLD YOU THERE IS NO RIGHT ONE!"

"Uhh, big brother, what's this?" Digi asked as she held up a pedal with frayed wires at the end.

"…..that would be the brakes" I/O said flatly as visibly started turning pale.

"OH MY GOD! WE REALLY ARE GONNA DIE!" Belle screamed as panic attack no.2 hit.

"Got any ideas I/O?" Sketch said

"Just one…" I/O muttered as he undid his belt "…ABANDON TANK!" was all he hollered as he climbed the ladder leading outside and opened the hatch.

" But what if this thing hit a building or something" Sketch shrieked.

" I've locked the steering column, this thing will keep running straight until it drives right into the ocean, but for now, let's get the heck outta here!"

The children had been standing on the top of the still moving tank as they watched the ground move beneath them, then looked ahead as a turn was up ahead, and if they didn't jump off now, they'd plunge into the ocean below.

"Grab hands and on the count of 3, we jump, ok" I/O commanded as they grabbed onto each other.

"3!" Sketch hollered as they all jumped off the top of the tank, rolling around on the grass as the tank just kept on going until it plowed through the guard rail and into the ocean below.

Belle opened her eyes and marveled that her fall wasn't as bad as she thought, and looked over to see Digi had been alright as well. "Well that wasn't so bad Digi, but where are the guys?"

"YOUR SITTING ON THEM!" Sketch had grumbled as both he and I/O lay underneath the two girls.

"Oh sorry!" Belle squeaked as she pulled helped the two up.

"Geez girls,you two better lay off the sweets, I think you two are getting fat" Sketch muttered, unaware that I/O had been inching away from him as soon as he opened his mouth.

Sketch had suddenly cowered as he felt the burning gaze of not just one, but two, angry girls on him as Belle had put the big-mouthed boy into a headlock and giving Sketch noogies .

"Getting fat! I help you up out of concern and you say I'm getting fat! What the heck is wrong with, Why I oughta just ….GRRRR!" Belle grumbled as she reached around and grabbed the seat of Sketch's underwear and practically pulled it so that she put it over his head, followed shortly by Digi kicking Sketch right in the shin, watching in glee as he grabbed his shin and hopped on one foot while his underwear was still pulled over his head.

"And do you have any snide commentary for us, Mr. I/O?" Belle grumbled as she turned to look at him, thinking he would've said something right now.

"If I did, I'm keeping them to myself now"

"snort So, what do we do now?"

"Guess we're walking it til we can find a bus or something"

"Walking, you gotta be kidding, I just get the king grand-daddy of all wedgies and get clocked right in the shins and you want us to walk!" Sketch muttered as he managed to pull his underwear off his head, then suddenly winced as Belle once again grabbed ahold of his underwear and pulled up.

"Then maybe this'll teach you to keep your smart-mouth comments to yourself! Now I don't like walking anymore than you do, but right now we've got no choice, so unless you want me to drag you by your underwear back into the city, stop bellyaching and get to stepping, you got that!"

"OWW! YES YES, JUST LET ME GO!"

And so the children had finally began their walk to the city, with Sketch keeping a good distance away from Belle, out of his own need for personal safety and the desire to want to go through the rest of the day without walking funny.

Slade was mad….no scratch that, Slade was absolutely pissed off. Not only had his plan gone completely bust and his new base had been in complete disarray, but what would he do if anyone were to find out that he, the great Slade, had been bested, no…downright humiliated by a gang of grade-schoolers, he'd be a laughingstock, and even with his two new punching bags (who were thrown into prison for now), he'd never be able to live this one down.

"Could things possibly get any worse!" Slade grumbled.

"Now that you mention it, yeah, it could" Had said a voice Slade knew well, the voice of Nightwing, and before he knew what had happened, he was tackled and currently being throttled around by a righteously and thoroughly pissed off Starfire, her eyes had been glowing a shade of green so brightly, they could've been radioactive……Boy, she was mad.

"My my, what a surprise to see you" Slade spoke with plenty of sarcasm, just what he needed to end the day with. The Titans stood before him, with each of them looking to be in no mood for games.

"Cut the crap Slade, where are the children" Cyborg demanded

"And if there's so much as one scratch on any of them, I swear I'll chop you up and feed you to Gnarmelian sandworm!" Starfire hollered as Slade swore he saw green flames leaping out of her eyes. He would have been ashamed to admit he was glad Cyborg held her back, but he could hear the metal man's gears creaking from the effort.

Slade stayed quiet and turned his head, how could he tell his greatest enemies that their little brats weren't here, they had left and he failed to stop them.

Getting even angrier by the second, Starfire jerked loose and had lifted her hand up and made a ball of energy that would surely turn whatever it hit into a pile of ash, and aimed it right at Slade, who swore now that her eyes had gone from green to red.

"Unless you want to become a nice little grease stain on the ground, you had better start talking "Raven spoke with much venom in her voice.

" Don't beat'em up too bad, save some for the rest of us" Terra said as she cracked her knuckles.

"Ditto" was all Beast Boy said.

"They're….not here" was all Slade said looking everywhere but at the Titans, no sense in getting killed over the little brats.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE NOT HERE!" Nightwing hollered as he got right into Slade's face, forcing the larger man back a step.

"They escaped, alright? they stole my tank and drove right on out of here. There are you happy?"

Nightwing couldn't believe what he was hearing, that Slade, who he had always known to be a master criminal and perhaps the greatest villain they ever faced, had been showed up by their children. Nightwing couldn't find the words to say what he wanted to, but luckily for him, the others had. So he did the only thing he could think of at the moment, he laughed.

"Boy Slade, this has got to be making you feel this big, huh." Raven sauntered as she clutched her her index finger and thumb a half inch together as Terra and Beast Boy had been rolling around on the floor, laughing out loud. "Want us to bring you some ice cream hun, it'll make you feel better"

"Oh man! I Think I just wet my pants!" Beast Boy said while laughing like he had heard the funniest joke in the world, and to him, he just did.

"Me too!" Terra joined in as she was laughing so hard, tears were coming out her eyes.

"Slade got his ass kicked by a buncha kids, OH MY GOD! I think I'm gonna blow a circuit!" Cyborg chuckled

"Do not worry Slade, I'm sure there are other criminals who have had worse things happen" Starfire consoled.

"Really"

"No, there isn't, in fact I do believe this is the single most pathetic thing I have seen during my time on Earth. I'm just trying to make you feel better about the fact that you, as Cyborg put it, got your behind kicked by our children, and now I will participate in the time-honored Earthling tradition of laughing at one's misfortune." Starfire said as she commenced with said laughing.

Finally regaining his composure, Nightwing had decided that finding their children was more important than partaking in the pleasure of Slade's humiliation.

"Okay team, let's go and find our children, I think Slade wants to be alone to sulk, and despite how truly hilarious this is, we've got more important things to do." Nightwing spoke as they started to leave and search the city, but before he left he turned to Slade, smiled, and saluted him goodbye "If it wasn't the fact that I hate your guts, I'd almost feel bad about all this. But I do, so I won't. Oh, and have a nice day" was all Nightwing said as he hopped on his T-cycle and rode off, listening to the ravings of revenge from Slade as if it was music to his ears.

The children had been walking for what seemed like hours now, and after listening to the protests of Sketch and Digi, had all finally agreed to stop and rest for a bit at a nearby bus stop.

"Man, how long have we been walking for now, my feet are killing me" Sketch muttered as he could feel the sweat the in his shoes like a wet rag.

"I dunno, five, maybe six miles" I/O said quietly as he wiped sweat from his head.

"How far 'til we reach Titans' Tower" Belle said as she tried fanning herself with a paper flier nearby.

"No clue" I/O spoke

"I'm so tired, big brother" Digi mumbled, leaning onto I/O for support, too exhausted to go any further.

"Can't we just get on a bus or something, I mean, if the Tower's such a sight around here, buses are bound to run nearby it" Belle said

"Because we don't have any money to pay the fare," I/O explained.

"But you guys are friends to the Titans," they'd probably let us ride free…" Belle reasoned.

"Might as well try, I'm too tired to go any further myself." Sketch commented

"Hey, here comes a bus right now" Belle looked to see a bus, driving slightly erratically, coming down the road.

"Boy, that driver's all over the place, think we should wait for the next one" Belle whispered to I/O

"But we have no idea how long it'll be before another comes, we could be here hours if we don't take this one." He replied.

I/O waved his hand as the bus stopped in front of the kid's and opened its door, showing the driver to be someone they couldn't believe.

"Mammoth!" was all I/O could say as he saw the hairy giant behind the wheel.

"Hey, I know you kids, you're with the Titan's. Wow, talk about chance meetings" Mammoth spoke, wearing the bus driver's hat on his head, despite the fact it didn't fit.

"Hi Mr. Mammoth" Digi waved to the former HIVE student

"Heading towards Titans' Tower kids?"

"Yes, thank you, but when did you start training to become a bus driver?" I/O inquired

"Uhh, yeah, about that"

The kids looked down the aisle to see the real bus driver, who was tied up and seated at the window, but other than that, looked completely calm and relaxed.

"Don't worry kids, we've been through this dozens of times" the bus driver said.

"Have a seat kid's, and I'll have you home in no time" Mammoth spoke as he put the bus in drive and made his way to the Tower.

"Why the hell are you watching Springer?" Blackfire asked the demon child.

"Just catching up, He's an old friend from home."

"You mean he's a demon?"

"Well duh," He replied dryly, "You think one of you humans could come up with anything as vile and hideous as this show?"

All Blackfire could do was shake her head, even after all the time she had been on Earth, some things still couldn't be explained.

It was all Blackfire could do to help her keep from feeling any more depressed about what happened at the fair. She had been fighting off robot after robot, and with each battered machine, she felt more active than ever, no amount of training and sparring could compare to the chaos of battle, she'd been deprived of the adrenaline rush for far too long, and it felt good to relive that surge. She let herself go and enjoyed the rush, but just as she was about to the point where everything meshed together, her body tensed up and felt like it was on fire.

'The pain……even after all those years, it always comes back' Blackfire lamented on the injuries and pain that nearly left her dead and gave her a constant reminder of her past life. It took her by surprise and she had to get herself together, it was all the time the machines needed to overtake her, and in an instant, had been overwhelmed and immobilized, with the remaining machines gassing and abducting the children. She had tried to fight back, but before she could get up to mount retaliation, Slade's machines swarmed her again, and the last thing she saw before blacking out was the children being taken away.

Blackfire was so lost in her reverie that she almost didn't hear the doorbell, and made a beeline straight for the door, flying so fast that she almost bowled over the demon, who had shouted a colorful 5-letter term for a female dog as she zoomed past.

Much to her disappointment, the person who stood before her was Mammoth, who had strangely driven in a local bus, as to why, well……who knew.

"Oh, hi Mammoth, sorry, she's not available right now, but I'll leave a message for you." Blackfire muttered with more than a hint of sadness in her tone.

"Huh, oh, ok thanks, but mainly I came up here to bring these young'ns back to ya. Found'm walking downtown and figured they could use a lift back "Mammoth said as the children rushed to greet Blackfire, who's eyes became as big as saucers at that moment.

"Aunt Blackfire!" Digi rushed and hugged her nanny, followed closely by the others.

"But….how?" Blackfire said, genuinely confused

"We escaped, long story" I/O stated

"Happy to have been a help…GAAHH!" Mammoth spoke before being embraced by an overly ecstatic Blackfire, unfortunately at times like this, Blackfire forgot how strong she was and had inadvertently put Mammoth in what both Sketch and I/O had dubbed the "Great Bearhug of Loving Death"

"Oh Thank you, Thank you Mammoth, How can I ever repay you!" Blackfire gushed with joy

"You please…..stop ….crushing my…spinal column!" Mammoth squeaked as he was literally being "loved" to death

"Oh!….I'm sorry, guess I kinda forgot about how emotional I can get sometimes" Blackfire chuckled while scratching the back of her head, the stereotypical anime sweatdrop appearing over the childrens' heads.

"Well, I've gotta get this bus back on it's route, take care ya'll" Mammoth waved as he limped his way back to the bus before Blackfire gave him another "loving embrace"

"Bye now, don't be a stranger hun" Blackfire waved the large man goodbye as the bus pulled out, then turned to the children. "Well, sounds like you four have had quite an adventure today, but escaping, now this I gotta hear"

The jovial mood that the Titans had previously after confronting Slade had now passed, and cold dread had filled them, they had searched every part of the city and could not find their children.

"What do we do now?" Terra spoke dejectedly

"For now, all we can do is head back to the Tower and see if we can get Titans East to help us" Nightwing said, he didn't want to stop searching, but he needed to be reasonable.

"But what if even they can't find them….what if…what if..." Starfire had finally broken down and started crying on the spot, fearing the most dreaded possibility.

"Starfire…..be strong, we'll find them….I promise" Raven had placed her hand on the redhead's shoulder, trying to soothe her friend and teammate

"Thank you friend Raven" Starfire said sniffling, regaining her composure as the finally reached the door, though what they heard was odd….it sounded like laughter…

"I know Blackfire's taking this hard, but don't you think its inapp…" Cyborg had begun before being shushed by Beast Boy

"Wait…I hear other voices…..I hear Sketch and I/O….THE KID'S ARE BACK!" was all Beast Boy said before he was trampled by the others as they rushed inside to greet their charges, thankfully Terra had helped him up, then they two rushed inside.

When they finally got to the dining room, Blackfire had been laughing so hard about what happened at Slade's she'd been hitting the table, but had retained enough awareness to know the Titans had arrived home.

"Oh man…guys, you gotta hear this, I think they must've driven Slade mad, and the dancing robots, OH MY GOD!" Blackfire had laughed loudly, nearly falling out of her seat.

Starfire had embraced the children as they exchanged tales about their day and talked for the rest of the day, but one thing puzzled I/O…

"Uhh, Miss Blackfire…who's the kid on the couch?" I/O regarded the demon.

"I have a name, you geek!"

"Ok, and just what is your name"

"Why should I, what, you gonna shove a probe up my ass or something"

"No, and would you please not use such language, we have ladies present. Besides, you don't want me calling you "Birdboy" or something like that, right"

"Birdboy!….why I oughta kick the sh…" was all the demon-boy said before Raven started giving him the look that said "finish that phrase and I start singing church songs"

"tsh, fine, my name is Malugendraciramek, now fear me!" he declared while trying to make himself look scary in front of I/O, who was regarding the boy as either stupid, insane, or possibly both.

"Mr… Mal?" Digi tried to understand the demonic name that seemed to crawl around the room once spoken.

"Of course!" Blackfire sang in a sickly sweet voice. "We'll call you Mal. You like that don't'cha?" She cooed pinching his cheek, fortunately managing to pull her fingers away before he tried biting her.

"…….right, and I assume that you'll be staying with us here then" I/O asked the unrepentant being.

" Hell no! In fact, I'm gone, nuts to all ya'll jackasses!" Mal screamed as he flew off the couch, but when he got outside the door, an unseen force practically dragged him back inside and discarded him on the floor.

"Sorry, but your bound to us since we captured you..." Raven told the demon child

"How about saying that in a way I understand"

"Your apart of our loving family now dear, get used to behaving like a good little boy" Raven translated in the same voice Blackfire had.

"FUCK!" was all he yelled before getting a bar of soap shoved into his mouth, courtesy of Raven.

"Well, it's been a real interesting day and all, but I think I should be getting home, no doubt my parents'll flip after hearing about what happened at the fair" Belle said

"Don't worry, I'll explain everything to them, it'll be alright" Nightwing stated as he made his way to door, but before the two left, Belle turned to I/O.

"I just wanted to thank you for, well, everything."

"Huh, oh, uhh, no problem, I mean, it's what anyone would've done really" I/O stuttered looking rather confused.

"Maybe now that I got to know you a little better, maybe we can be friends"

"Uhh…sure….I mean….I would like that" the boy said as he felt flustered.

"Take care" Belle said as she waved I/O goodbye as she left with Nightwing, leaving a blushing, though strangely pleased looking, I/O standing in the middle of the living room with a happy smile on his face, a look that didn't go unobserved.

"Awwww, how cute!" Terra said as she ruffled the boy's hair, then pulled him into a deep hug "our little I/O growing up so fast"

"I..I don't know what you mean, we're just friends. That's all" I/O said while turning a shade of red that would put a tomato to shame.

"If you say so….but don't feel embarrassed, it's really quite adorable" Raven spoke with a Cheshire- cat grin

I/O groaned as Cyborg, Beast Boy and Terra broke into a bout of the old-fashion "Kissin' in a tree" song as he had to endure Starfire giving him a lecture on 'growing up' while Blackfire & Raven watched in contented amusement as I/O turned even redder. Meanwhile, Digi and Sketch were getting to know their new friend Mal, who had started to mutter something about having to endure "an idiot and 19 out of 10 on the cuteness meter"

"Finally we're done," Etna muttered lounging on the couch.

"That was a lot of work, I'm so glad you asked the Prinnies to help." Flonne agreed.

"Ask nothin'," Etna retorted, "They're my vassals so they do what I say. They're not allowed to refuse."

"She's a real Slave driver, dood," one of the Prinnies commented.

"Get back to work you slackers!" Etna ordered. "If the story's done then you can go back to your normal duties."

"Dood, this job sucks." a Prinny said as they filed out of the room.

"Wonder who those two dolts were who fought Slade?" Etna muttered after her servants had left.

"And where are the authors? Should they have shown up by now?" Flonne replied.

Etna bolted upright "They couldn't have…" She rushed over to the intercom on the desk and pressed the button for the security desk. "Ruri, have you seen the idi… I mean the authors?"

"Yes," she replied, "Those baka's left earlier with a bunch of weird looking clothes and talking about beating up an Ironman wannabe."

"We must rescue them!" Flonne jumped up from where she sat, flames flickering in her eyes. "In the name of love and joy and…"

"Just shut up and come on," Etna said as she grabbed the ex-angel and dragged her from the room.

Well, at least it isn't a total loss," Slade commented as he looked at the two captives. "Mr. Froofy, hold that camera straight, I can't ransom hostages when the screen is crooked." He spared a glance at his hostages. The robed one held a sign pleading for help, while the one called Dudeman looking rather more battered held a sign that read "Hi Mom!"

"You will not be ransoming anyone vile villain of hate, anger and all things not cute!"

"Aww hell, "Slade muttered, "What is it now?"

"It is I! Flonne, champion of love, justice, cuteness, kindness, mercy…"

"She'll go on like that for hours if you let her." A voice to Slade's right said.

"Who? what? How did you get in here?" He asked the little devil girl.

"I walked, Now if you don't mind," She gestured to the two still bound prisoners she was dragging. "I'm taking these two home."

"What makes you think I'm gonna let you OWWW!" Slade yelped. He turned and glared at the third person on his left.

A little blue-white haired girl in a security uniform holding a still sparking cattle prod stood there "Let us go or get another poke…" She threatened.

"Sure, Why not?" Slade yelled, "What else could go wrong today? WHAT?" He screamed at the rafters.

Mr. Froofy made a few chimp hoots at him.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE WERE BROADCASTING?"

James: Okay, I know we broke one of the primary rules of decent fanfiction by doing a self insertion, but we really thought this would be good for a laugh… and since that's our whole concern, we decided to enact an overruling rule: Screw the rules.

Steve: Anarchy Baby!

James: Right…

Steve: But the real reason for the self- insert was this.. you know how many fanfics we've read where the author puts themselves in and gives themselves uber-l337 powers and abilities, or becomes the significant other of a main character, thereby destroying the plot, or something else cliché'd and Mary Sue'd….TOO MANY! So we decided to make our own twist on this concept.

James: Too true. On another note, You may be wondering why we turned Slade into a complete moron… Well, after years of being beaten up by pre-teens, resurrected, and probably cloned a couple times, I sincerely doubt he's still got all four wheels on the floor. Besides, it's funny.

Steve: To be honest, we're both fans of Slade and we think he's a cool villain, but Slade is also one of those villains where you can make him look like a complete and total jackass and still make him look cool. Besides, like James said, he's probably died and come back to life more times than Goku from Dragon Ball, so you gotta figure he'd be a little scatterbrained. And now on to our favorite section, the reviews.

A Dragons Wings:

Steve- Thanks for the kinds words and we're glad you liked chap.4, even though it took forever to write. Hopefully, chap.6 won't take so dang long, and we intend to make it very funny. We're still trying the think of a new title, but for now, it works. Well, take care and keep on smiling.

James- Glad you liked chapter 4, Hope you like 5. I'm still rather unsure about the Title, but (shrug) not much I can do about it. Oh, and as for chapter 6… It'll take forever to write, months perhaps (crosses his fingers and hopes reverse psychology works)

Raven002:

Steve-I fully understand about the job bit, mine kinda reminds or Mr. Rodgers. But thanks for the kind review and I hope your boss doesn't give ya too much hell.

James- My boss is an ineffectual twit who thinks 'talking it out' will get delinquent employees to straighten up… I'm not fond of him, as you can likely tell. I'm not in college currently , but I intend to go soon enough. Glad you like the story. Hope you don't gotta deal with your inferior superiors too long ;)

Steve: Wow, we've got just about everything in this chapter, don't we dude.

James: Almost, (Throws a massive penguin launching catapult into the fic) Okay, now we've got it all.

Steve: Now we must get to work on chap.6, we've got lots of ideas and little time to get them done. So, let's get to cracking James, but one thing still confounds me?

James: I'm confounded that you even know a word like confound.

Steve: ha..ha…ha…Jackass.

James: Flattery will get you everywhere, but what is it you're wondering about?

Steve: Why did Etna have to shackle our feet to the desk (referring to the shackles on their right ankles, connected to long chains ties to the writing desk)

James: I'm more concerned about the Cerberus guarding the door.

Steve: Oh well. Hey James, wanna go make fun of Gizmo and poke him with sticks until we get bored and end up doing something completely random and with the possible risk of injury and/or death.

James: Only if we get to blow up a few government buildings…

Steve: Then it's a plan. Quick my friend, we have a midget to heckle (gates out of authorspace)

James: (leaves a note asking Etna to feed the Cerberus and gates as well.)


End file.
